ABSTRACT
Studies about the influence of light on the germination and early development are important to cultivate physic nut in the field. The aim of this study was to evaluate the light effect on the seed germination of physic nuts from distinct geographical provenances and to examine the morphology of seedlings. The first germination bioassay was accomplished in a dark chamber and the second in the presence of light (32 µmol m-2s-1) with a daily photoperiod of 12 hours. There was no significant difference in the percentage of seed germination between of the seeds of the studied lots. The percentage of germination was high in all lots (in the dark or under light), being the seeds classified as neutral photoblastic. In the dark, the seedlings had a greater number of emerged and opened cotyledons, length of hypocotyl-root axis, and growth rate. These results are explained by etiolation of seedlings, germinated in the dark. However, under the light, there was a darkening of seedlings, which impaired impairing its development.
Keywords:
germinability; light; seedling morphology
