This study aimed to characterize germination of Maclura tinctoria seeds under different thermal regimes and alterations due presence or absence of light. Seeds were collected in Rio Claro, Ajapi, Itirapina, and Serra Negra, São Paulo State, Brazil. The results demonstrated that, in presence of light, seeds germinate in a wide temperature range (15 to 35 ºC) and better perform between 20 and 30 ºC. The ideal temperature for seed germination was 30 ºC. In the absence of light, germination percentage decreased as the temperature diminished and germination temperature range was narrowed, changing the ideal temperature for germination, showing that the seeds of Maclura tinctoria require presence of light to express their maximum germination rate.
forest seeds; storage; taiúva
