The interest for crambe emerged from its superiority in relation to soybean and other oilseeds for vegetable oil production and its great adaptability for the direct planting. This work aimed to evaluate the storage of the crambe seeds in different packagings and environments. Polyethylene bags and rigid plastic packaging with hermetic sealingwere tested in the following conditions: laboratory (25 ± 2 ºC e 60% RH) and dry and cold chamber (15 ± 2 ºC e 45% RH), during 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days (May to November, 2010). Seed water content, first count, seed germination, germination speed index and seed germination medium time were evaluated monthly. The experiment was carried out with four replications using 50 seeds in each treatment. Initially, seeds showed 60% germination and 7.0% moisture content. The packagings and environments tested allowed alterations in seed water content which, possibly, provided the beginning of seed deterioration, which was assessed through the reduction of the first count, speed index and increase in the germination average time. However, the treatments and the storage periods did not influence the seed germination. In general, crambe seeds can be stored in impermeable packaging during 180 days at 15 ± 2 ºC and 45% RH.
Crambeabyssinica; oilseed; physiological potential; water content
