Emergency and Growth of Andiroba Seedlings (Carapa guianensis Aubl.) in Function of the Seeds

Andiroba (Carapa guianensis Aubl.-Meliaceae) is considered an Amazonian forest species with great potential for multiple use in natural forests. Because it is a native species of the Amazon rainforest, it has great socioeconomic importance for the extractive population due to the oil extracted from its seeds. The speed of emergence is an important factor in the establishment of seedlings, since the longer the seeds remain inside the soil, the seeds are in the soil, the greater the chances that the seeds will be attacked by fungi and soil insects. The objective of this work was to determinate the speed of andiroba emergence (Carapa guianensis Aubl.) seedlings and the development. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse belonging to Federal Rural University of Amazonia (UFRA)-Capitão Poço, Brazil. Fruits of C. guianensis were collected in floodplain areas in northeastern of Pará. The treatments were arranged according to the seed mass. Were calculated 5 variables after sowing (emergence speed index; height; interference of the mass of andiroba seeds at the height of the seedlings stem; interference of the mass of andiroba seeds in the number of leaves; interference of the mass of andiroba seeds in the number of leaflets). The experimental design was completely randomized, consisting of 4 treatments with 5 replicates with 5 seeds per replicate (5 seeds per vessel), totaling 25 seeds per treatment. The data were statistically analyzed using the Tukey test at 5% probability with the software Assistat 7.6. The seed mass classes did not influence ESI (Emergence Speed Index). The seed mass promoted significant effects on 4 variables. The mass of the seeds of andiroba does not influence the ESI of seedlings for it own production. The heavy and very heavy seeds generated more developed plants.