Imbibition and Germination of Seeds with Economic and Ecological Interest: Physical and Biochemical Factors Involved

In this study, we describe the seed imbibition of 14 different species, from crop, forest, and native species potentially able to recover landscapes form sustainable green cities. Seed is a fundamental physical physiological process for reactivating metabolism hydrolytic enzymes that will provide germination. We verified water more closely governed by differences between osmotic potential (Ψw) surrounding media than weight or hardness. turn, seeds Spondias tuberosa Euterpe oleracea have Ψw −75 MPa tegument as hard 200 N imbibed an insignificant volume water. Consequently, their not significantly affected comparing non-imbibed 120-h-imbibed seeds. Malpighia glabra Annona squamosa also show very negative where coat hardness less evident; however, in these increased respiration rate eight- ten-fold 120 h-imbibed-seeds non-imbibed-seeds. The high-water absorption M. (49%) seems be due its highly convoluted tissue dry state, while J. curcas A. presence porous must favored prompt metabolic reactivation.