Viable seeds of many plant species do not imbibe water and, therefore, do not germinate, even under favorable environmental conditions and are commonly called impermeable or hard seeds. Thus, there is a need for using pre-germinating methods, which allow surpassing the dormancy, enabling the maximum germination expression of the lot. The study aims to identify the most efficient methods for surpassing the tegument dormancy of annual lotus (Lotus subbflorus L.) seeds, which are also fast, safe and easy to standardize. The experiment was developed at the Seed Didactic Laboratory in the Agronomy College "Eliseu Maciel" at the Federal University of Pelotas. Two lots of seeds from the Herval (RS) area were used. The tests performed were: standard germinating (pre cold for 4, 7 and 10 days (7 ºC), pre heating for 1, 4 or 7 days (50 ºC), escarification for 30, 60 and 90 seconds (1750 rotations by minute), and with no treatment). According to the evaluations made, it was observed that the pre escarification by mechanical sandpaper at 1750 rpm for 30, 60 and 90 seconds was efficient in surpassing the seed dormancy, expressed by better relations among normal and abnormal seedlings and dead seeds dormancy of Lotus subbflorus L.
Lotus subbflorus L.; forage; legume; escarification
