Moisture Content and Packaging Condition on the Germination of Amaranth BRS Alegria Seeds

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the packaging conditions and the initial moisture content of amaranth BRS Alegria seeds, stored in the period of 13 months (10 months ambient conditions and 3 months in cold chamber). The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial scheme with two initial moisture contents (9.82% and 7.84%), and two packing conditions (sealed and unsealed), with four replications, totaling 16 plots. The germination was in 12 hours photoperiod and 25°C constant temperature, for 7 days. The variables analyzed were percentage of germination (PG), first germination count (FGC), non-germinated seeds (NGS), germination speed index (GSI) and mean germination time (MGT). The sealed 9.82% seed lot presented better results for PG, NGS and GSI (77.5%, 22.5% and 24.88, respectively). The moisture content of 9.82% is adequate for the storage of Amaranthus cruentus BRS Alegria, with no further drying required. It is recommended to seal the packages for the storage of amaranth seeds of BRS Alegria, as it maintains its physiological quality for longer.