Resumen

ALATORRE-COBOS, J.  y  RODRIGUEZ-TREJO, D. A.. Carbohydrate concentration and fresh weight during the germination of Chamaedorea elegans Mart. and factors that affect it. Rev. Chapingo ser. cienc. for. ambient [online]. 2009, vol.15, n.1, pp.73-79. ISSN 2007-4018.

The information about changes in carbohydrate concentration and fresh weight during seed germination is scarce and the interactions of factors that affect germination of Chamaedorea elegans Mart. have been scarcely studied. Two experiments were conducted in controlled environment chambers, one to determine the best temperature regime and another to analyze the effect of factors: storage (0 and 1 y), shade level (0 %=124 µmol·m^-2·s^-1, 70%=32 µmol·m^-2·s^-1 y 100 %=2 µmol·m^-2·s^-1) and seed size (small <5.25 mm, medium 5.25 a 5.75 mm and large >5.75 mm) on seed germination. A completely randomized blocks experimental design was employed, as well as a mixed procedure for the ANOVA. The temperature regime 25/22 °C yielded 100 % germination; however, there were differences among seed lots to germinate in such regime. In the second experiment (25/22 °C), the three factors and the interaction seed size and storage, and the triple interaction seed size, storage and shade were significant. In the triple interaction, with non storage seed just collected, the three seed sizes showed different responses to light, with the highest germination for medium size seed and 100 % shade (59.3 % germination). The rate of starch use was 12 mg·g^-1·month^-1.

Palabras llave : camedor palm; germination; starches; sugars.