GERMINATION AND EMERGENCE OF Bursera linanoe (La Llave) Rzedowski, Calderón & Medina

Abstract

Bursera linanoe (La Llave) Rzedowski, Calderón & Medina is a species with economic and social value. Germination of seeds is a problem for the propagation of this species. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of scarification, temperature and storage period on seed germination of B. linanoe and to estimate the variation in emergence traits among trees of this species. Seeds were collected from 20 trees at ejido Huautla, Tlaquiltenango, Morelos, Mexico and were stored at 15 ºC. One trial was established immediately after the seed collection. A second trial was performed using seeds that were stored at -10, 4 and 25 ºC for four and eight months. Two scarification treatments were applied to the seeds in both trials. Germinative capacity, peak value and number of days to reach the peak value were recorded. In addition, a trial was established to evaluate seedling emergence. In the first trial, the germinative capacities were 2 and 18.5 % for non-scarified seeds and scarified seeds, respectively. The highest value was 0.09 and was reached in 19 days for non-scarified seeds, while scarified seeds reached the highest value of 0.46 in 40 days for. In the second trial, the highest germination capacity (10.14 %) was found in seeds that were scarified and stored at 4 ºC for four months, while the lowest value (0.48 %) was recorded in seeds that were scarified and stored at 25 ºC for eight months. There is large variation between B. linanoe trees in the emergence capacity of the seedlings. Seed germination and seedling emergence were low and slow.