Germination of "Solo" papaya seeds treated with plant hormones

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of some plant hormones on germination of Carica papaya L. seeds of the "Solo" group taken from fruits at maturity stages 3 and 5 (50% and 75% of the fruit skin showing a yellow color). Then, the seeds were subjected to treatments involving different combinations of acid 2-chloroethylphosphonic - (CEPA 0; 5 x 10-7 and 5 x 10-4 M), GA3 (0; 10 and 50 mg / L) and KNO3 (0 or 1 M), and germination was assessed at the 14th and 30th days. Seeds from fruits at maturity stage 3 showed increased germination when treated with all growth regulators tested. KNO3 promoted a decrease in germination and in the germination speed index, especially in the seeds from stage 5. The plant hormones did not promote any increase in percentage of normal seedlings of papaya seeds. Two-Chloethylphosphonic acid (5 x 10-4 M) and the gibberellic acid applied alone in the seeds from satge 3 promoted an increase in the number of normal seedlings 14 days after sowing.