REINO, J; GONZALEZ, Yolanda    SANCHEZ, J. A. Optimum germination temperature and imbibition patterns of the seeds from Albizia lebbeck, Gliricidia sepium and Bauhinia purpurea. []. , 31, 3, pp. 1-1. ISSN 0864-0394.

Fresh and aged seeds of the trees Albizia lebbeck, Gliricidia sepium and Bauhinia purpurea from the Experi­mental Station of Pastures and Forages «Indio Hatuey», Matanzas, Cuba, were used. A simple classification experiment and five replications were designed for the germinative response to different temperatures of the substratum (constant 25ºC and three alternate ones: 25/30ºC, 25/35ºC and 25/40ºC). Before seeding the seeds of A. lebbeck were scarified (water at 80ºC/2'). For the imbibition pattern the seeds were put on filter paper moist with purified water according to the optimum germination temperature, under white fluorescent light and at different imbibition times. In the fresh seeds of all the species the highest percentages of final germination were obtained at alternate temperature of 25/35ºC and in the aged ones at 25/30ºC. With regards to the imbibition pattern they all followed a three-phase pattern of water absorption. The fresh and aged seeds of G. sepium showed a very similar imbibition pattern, however the fresh seeds of the other species presented higher hydration rate than the aged ones and consequently they reached faster the start of phase III of the imbibition pattern (i.e. visible germination). The range of optimum temperature for the germination of aged seeds was concluded to be 25/30 ºC and for the fresh ones it was 25/35 ºC and both showed a three-phase pattern of water absorption when the seeding was carried out at optimum germination temperature.

: Albizia lebbeck; Bauhinia purpurea; germination; Gliricidia sepium.

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