Desiccation tolerance and seed storability of Inga uruguensis (Hook. et Arn.)

Freshly harvested seeds of inga (Inga uruguensis Hook. et Am.), classified as recalcitrant and short-lived, were used in this study to obtain informat ion on seed desiccation tolerance and storability based on the lowest water content to which seeds could be dried without significant seed viability l oss. Such information can be helpful for improving seed performance during storage and for subsequent use in forestry programs primarily related to th e recovery of riparian forests. Seeds extracted from harvested inga fruits were dried with heated air (30 degrees C) for different periods to obtain s amples of different water contents (from 58.6% to 14.3%, fresh weight basis ). Seeds were then evaluated for germination and electrical conductivity to estimate whether the drying procedure affected seed physiological quality. Seeds were then stored in polyethylene bags at 10 degrees C and 90% relati ve humidity (laboratory conditions) for 60 days. Seed quality was evaluated by germination and electrical conductivity tests at 15-day intervals durin g storage. Results showed that inga seeds do not exhibit high desiccation t olerance. Dehydration to approximately 51% water content allowed for the pr eservation of seed quality for periods up to 60 days after harvesting. This demonstrates that the procedure described here for inga seed storage repre sents an improvement over previous recommendations where seed longevity was only up to 20 days.