ABSTRACT
Priming, used as a pre-sowing treatment, has been recommended as an alternative to increase speed and uniformity of seed germination and seedling emergence, especially for vegetable seeds. The effect of osmopriming on performance of cabbage seed lots with different levels of vigor was evaluated. Four seed lots of cabbage '60 dias' were used. Seeds of each lot were primed in aerated -1.0 MPa PEG 6000 solution for 0, 2, 4 and 6 days at 20oC. Seeds of each treatment, dried or not after priming, were evaluated by germination test and seedling emergence in greenhouse. In a second assay, cabbage seeds were submitted to artificial aging at 42oC and 100% relative humidity for 0, 24, 33 and 42 h and, after that, submitted to osmopriming, as described, for six days, and subsequently dried to attain the original seed water content. Priming in 6000 PEG solution at -1,0 MPa for six days is efficient to improve germination of cabbage seeds, especially for low vigor seed lots.
Keywords:
Brassica oleracea var. capitata; osmopriming; physiological quality; germination.
