ÉPOCA DE COLHEITA DE SEMENTES DE Ocotea catharinensis Mez (CANELA-PRETA) - LAURACEAE

Abstract

Fruits of Ocotea catharinensis were harvested in an area of the Atlantic Forest in São Paulo, SP, Brazil, at 127, 144, 204, 253, 316 and 331 days after the flowering. Fruits colour, size, dry matter weight and moisture content were detennined. Germination tests were established with entire fruits, seeds (pericarp removal), and fiuits submitted to pericarp cut in the radicle and opposed to radicle positions. The tests were carried out at 20, 25, 30 and 35ºC and the results showed that: a) the pericarp remova! and the pericarp cut in the radicle position favoured the seeds germmation; b) the best percentage of seeds germination was obtained at the temperatures of 20 and 25ºC; c) the change of fruits colour reflected the start of seeds physiological maturation process; d) the fruits dry matter and moisture content characterized the seeds physiological maturity and the fruits harvesting time; e) the seeds physiological maturity was obtained between 316 and 331 days after the flowering, when the fruits moisture content varied from 41.6 to 50.6%.