The research aimed to evaluate procedures for maintaining paper substrate moisture during Brachiaria brizantha germination test. So, the effect of plastic boxes position in a germination cabinet on weekly loss of substrate moisture was determined; nine vertical positions (trays) and three horizontal positions on the trays (front door, middle and back of the cabinet) were evaluated. The efficiency of some procedures for maintaining substrate moisture on germination percentage, weekly loss of substrate moisture and time spent for setting up the test was also studied. The procedures were as follows: (a) sealing the box by spreading vaseline in the surfaces between the lid and the box, (b) sealing the box by placing a plastic foil folded twice between the lid and the box, (c) placing the box, with the lid on, inside a plastic bag, (d) placing a polyethylene foam at the bottom of the box under the paper substrate and putting the lid on, and (e) control treatment, with just the lid on, without subsequent watering. It was concluded that the germination cabinet causes different dehydration rates of the substrates, and the boxes located on the first tray at the top are the most affected. Among the procedures, sealing the box with vaseline, placing the box inside a plastic bag and sealing the box by placing a plastic bag folded twice, are efficient for maintaining the paper substrate moisture at adequate levels in such a way that the results of Brachiaria brizantha germination tests are not altered; the last two mentioned procedures are faster and more practical, being easily adaptable to routine tests of a seed laboratory.
germinator; water loss; seeds; signalgrass
