EFFECTS OF FRUIT AGE, DRYING METHOD AND CONDITION ON SEED QUALITY OF OKRA - II - CULTIVAR AMARELINHO

Fruits of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench.) cv. Amarelinho we re harvested at three times: 35, 45 and 55 days after anthesis. Half p art of the fruits of each harvest time was shelled and the seeds were dried in natural environment of laboratory or in dry chamber. The othe r half was dried unshelled in the same two conditions. Water contents of seeds were evaluated at harvest time and before the germination tes t, that was carried out when the seeds were in hygroscopic equilibrium with the two environments. The physiological quality of seeds was aff ected by the interaction effects of fruit age, drying method and dryin g condition. The highest values for percentage of germination were obt ained from seeds taken from fruits 55 days old (up to 92%) and the har d seeds percentage was not affected by drying method and drying condit ion. The seeds from fruits of 35 and 45 days old had the germination p ercentage increased when dried inside the fruit in natural environment .