This study aimed to evaluate the desiccation sensivity and storage and longevity behavior of uvaia seeds (Eugenia pyriformis Camb.). It was carried out with seeds from fruits collected at Amambai-MS city. To study the desiccation sensitivity, a protocol based on the dehydration level on each five percentage points reaching 45, 40, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10 and 5% seeds moisture contents was used. To study the longevity of seeds during storage were tested the following conditions of cold and dry chamber (16 ± 1C º / 40% UR), refrigerator (5 ± 1C º) and freezer (-18 ± 1 º C) for 30 days and seeds sown soon after processing constituted the control treatment. Seeds were sowed between sand at 20/30 ºC at 10 h light/14 h darkness in B.O.D. Uvaia seeds are desiccation sensitivity and can not tolerate drying below 5% moisture content. The moisture content decrease caused the reduction on the fresh mass, primary root length, hypocotyls length and on the seedlings total length reduction as in the germination medium time. The fresh seeds presented approximately 77% germination and the 5% moisture content dehydration reduced the germination to 15%. The storage conditions under low temperatures and seeds dehydration reduced seed germination, thus indicating a recalcitrant behavior of uvaia seeds.
Savannah; seeds germination; longevity; Myrtaceae; recalcitrance
