The objective of the present work was to verify the influence of cold stratification of 'Japonês' quince tree seeds (Chaenomeles sinensis Koehne), in the emergence of seedlings and development. Seeds were collected from fruits, rinsed in water, and dried for 48 hours. The seeds were placed in Petri plates under moistened cotton, sand and water, submitted to cold stratification in B.O.D. (at 4ºC) at different days (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 days). At the end of each period, the seeds were sowed in 72-cell polystyrene trays containing vermiculite as substrate. After ten days, six evaluations of performed for emergence percentage per ten days were evaluated and at the end of 60 days, the average number of leaves, medium length of the aerial part and radicular system, medium dry mass of the sprouting and radicular system were evaluated. On concluded that the 'Japonês' quince tree seeds shold be stratified in humidified cotton for 60 days.
Chaenomeles sinensis; seedlings production and seeds conservation
