Investigations in the causes of sensitivity to cold and water stress of tropical seeds, represented by cacao seeds. 1. Influence of developmental stage
1988
Ruehl, G. (Bundesforschungsanstalt fuer Landwirtschaft, Braunschweig (Germany, F.R.). Inst. fuer Pflanzenbau und Pflanzenzuechtung) | Dambroth, M. | Biehl, B.
The storage of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seeds, which is desirable in respect to the preservation of genetic resources of cacao, is limited to a few month. The required dehydration and cooling to values usually applied to the long-term conservation of seeds always leads to viability loss of cacao seeds. The primary causes of this loss of viability are at time unknown. The purpose of this study was to find indications for the nature of these causes. In this essay it could be shown, that a critical limiting value of seed hydration exists in the range of 17-19 %. Premature cacao seeds proved to be more sensitive to desiccation than mature seeds. This is supported by a higher critical water content of these seeds as well as a significantly increased sensitivity to water stress of premature cacao seeds due to dehydration after a preimbibition period. Furthermore it is demonstrated, that an internal of reduced seed hydration in cacao seed development, followed by an increase in water content up to the date of fruit ripeness does not exist. In respect to their developmental stage, mature cacao seeds correspond to orthodox seed species prior to entering the maturation drying period.
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