Seed priming is a practice for improving the expression of seed physiological potential. Such technique consists of synchronizing and reducing the time of seed germination by controlled hydration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of seed-priming with different sugar sources and concentrations on the physiological quality Urochloa brizantha seeds and initial seedling performance. Before treating, seeds were scarified chemically with concentrated sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) for 5 minutes to overcome physical dormancy. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 3 x 6 factorial scheme consisting of priming using three sugar sources (glucose, sucrose, and maltose) and six concentrations (zero [water control], 2%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%), with four replicates. The seeds were primed by direct immersion for 2 hours at 25 ºC and, after hydration, they were dried for moisture equilibrium recovery. Seed germination, vigor, viability, and initial seedling growth were evaluated. The results showed that glucose was the source able to promote beneficial effects on the germination of U. brizantha cv. MG-5 seeds. Moreover, the supply of glucose at the concentrations of 2 and 5% for physiological conditioning increased seedling dry phytomass.

This research evaluated protected environment and substrates for jatoba seedling. Two protected environments were used: (i) black shading screen on the sides and roof; and, (ii) black shading screen on the sides and thermal-reflective aluminized screen on the roof. In each environment the following substrates formulated with cattle manure (M) and vermiculite (V) were tested: 100% M; 90% M + 10% V; 80% M + 20% V; 70% M + 30% V; 60% M +40% V; 50% M + 50% V; 40% M +60% V; 30% M + 70% V; 20% M + 80% V; 10% M + 90%V. The environment protected with black shading screen was more favorable for the formation of jatoba seedlings, resulting in seedlings with higher shoot height and root collar diameter and, therefore, higher quality. Recommendation is to use substrates containing up to 30% of cattle manure to produce high quality jatoba seedlings.

Paricá (Schizolobium amazonicum) can be used for rehabilitation of degraded lands, timber manufacturing markets. However, for its planting, high-quality seedlings should be used. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of different types of paclobutrazol (PBZ) application and two shading levels on high-quality seedling production. As there was no replication of cultivation environments, we considered each one of them as an experiment. For each environment (35 and 50% shading screen), a completely randomized design was adopted, testing combinations of two types of PBZ application (direct seed immersion in 0.005% PBZ solution; substrate hydration with 0.005% PBZ solution; and 50% seed hydration and 50% substrate hydration; plus, a control), with five replications and five seedlings per plot. The environments were evaluated by analysis of groups of experiments. Seedling growth was evaluated. Under 50% shading, Paricá seedlings had better growth conditions. Application of 100% PBZ in substrate provided compact seedlings with larger dry root phytomass, besides being more practical.

Substrates with a mixture of two or more materials have better conditions for root development of vegetables seedlings. This research aimed to evaluate the formation of ornamental pepper (cultivars Etna and Pyramid) seedlings in six different combinations between vermiculite (V) and cattle manure (M) (10%M + 90%V; 25%M + 75%V; 40%M + 60%V; 55%M + 45%V; 70%M + 30%V; 85%M + 15%V). The experiment was conducted at Universidade de Mato Grosso do Sul in a completely randomized design in a factorial scheme 6 x 2 (six substrates and two cultivars). The initial growth and emergence of ornamental pepper seedlings were evaluated. The highest amounts of vermiculite favored the emergence of pepper. The highest amounts of cattle manure in the substrate formed the best seedlings, especially the substrate with 30% vermiculite and 70% cattle manure. Cultivar Pirâmide showed more vigorous plants than Etna, being more suitable for the Cassilândia region. The most recommended substrate combination is composed of 30%V + 70%M for ornamental pepper, where the seedlings of the cultivar that best developed on the substrate was the Pirâmide.

Objetivou-se avaliar o crescimento e qualidade de mudas de Schizolobium amazonicum (Huber ex Ducke) sob tratamento pré-germinativo de semente e aplicação foliar de agentes químicos durante a formação. O experimento foi realizado realizados no laboratório de análises de sementes e casa de vegetação da Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul/Unidade Universitária de Cassilândia-MS. Utilizou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 2x3, sendo constituído por dois tratamentos pré-germinativos por hidratação das sementes (TS1 – água e TS2 – nitrato de cálcio 0,2%) e três agentes químicos fornecidos via foliar (TF1 – testemunha sem tratamento, TF2 – Bioestimulante composto por giberelina 0,1% + auxina 0,2% + nitrato de cálcio 0,2% e TF3 – mistura contendo paclobutrazol 0,01% + uréia 0,2%) com 10 repetições por tratamento e 6 plantas por repetição. Aos 45 dias foi realizada as primeiras medições e a avaliação final foi realizada aos 60 dias (período de plantio das mudas no campo). O tratamento de sementes com nitrato de cálcio produziu mudas com qualidade semelhante as mudas originadas de sementes que foram hidratadas somente com água. O uso de paclobutrazol e nitrogênio na aplicação foliar resultou em mudas de eleva a qualidade de Schizolobium amazonicum.

Ornamental plants and flowers increasingly bring urban populations closer to nature in the pursuit of improved quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the biomass accumulation of Chinese pink (Dianthus chinensis L.), English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Miller), and wild pansy (Viola tricolor L.) seedlings grown under different protected environments and substrate compositions based on peat and vermiculite. The experiment followed a completely randomized design in a 4 × 5 factorial scheme (four protected environments × five substrate compositions). The environments included three screenhouses with black screens providing 18%, 30%, and 50% shading, and one greenhouse covered with plastic film and a 42–50% shading screen under the film. Within these environments, five substrate compositions were assessed. The cultivation environment and substrate can influence the growth of ornamental flower seedlings, as observed in this study for D. chinensis, L. angustifolia, and V. tricolor. For shoot dry mass, root dry mass, and total dry mass of all three ornamental species, the highest values were observed in the greenhouse with 42–50% shading under the plastic film. It was concluded, for these experimental conditions, that the greenhouse environment with 42–50% shading, combined with a substrate containing 80% Carolina Soil®, was the most suitable condition for developing D. chinensis seedlings. For L. angustifolia, optimal growth occurred with 100% Carolina Soil® under the same greenhouse conditions, whereas for V. tricolor, the best growth was achieved with substrates containing at least 80% Carolina Soil®.