Jussara palm seed germination under different shade levels

Abstract

Jussara palm (Euterpe edulis) is a native plant of the Atlantic rainy forest, with large economic interest. The species is shade-tolerant and currently it is restricted to certain areas of difficult access. The most effective way to reintroduce it into the environment or increase the population density for conservation and commercial exploitation is promoting seed propagation. Considering that the jussara palm is an ombrophylous species, this experiment aimed to simulate forest conditions, with different shade levels, to analyze its influence on seed germination. After processing the seeds (depulping), 500 seeds were sown in containers (20 x 30 x 8 cm) filled with forest ground and grown in five shade levels (0, 20, 40,60, and 80%, simulated using black shadenet). The experimental design was blocks at random, with four 25-seed replications. We evaluated the percentage of seed germination and the Emergence Speed Index (ESI). Seed germination started 103 days after sowing. Although the percentage of germinated seeds in the different treatments varied between 53 (0% shade) and 72% (60% shade), there was no significant shade influence over percentage of seed germination and ESI.