INFLUENCE OF SUBSTRATES ON GERMINATION AND SEED PLUMULA LENGTH OF PIXBAE (Bactris gasipaes)

Abstract

The objetive was to evaluate the influence of six substrates on the germination percentage and the length of the seed plumula of pixbae (Bactris gasipaes). There were used substrates easily acquired by the producers as river sand and sawdust, river sand, sawdust, soil, soil and sawdust, and a germinador. It was used a random complete design with six treatments (substrates and germinador) and three replications. There were used 50 pixbae seeds per experimental unit and the data were subjected to analysis of variance to compare means. The analysis of variance indicated statistical differences between the substrates on pixbae seed germination (germination percentage). The plastic bag was the treatment with the best percentage of germination (88,33%), followed by river sand (86%), sawdust (85%), sand and sawdust (68%), soil and sawdust (66%), soil (65%). The influence of the treatments evaluated over the length of the plumule not present statistical differences, however, river sand substrate showed the longest length. The results indicated that the best pixbae seed germination was obtained with the use of reusable plastic bag, followed by river sand and sawdust.