Relación del tamaño y peso de la semilla como factor clave para la germinación y desarrollo de plántulas

Abstract

The size and seed weight are important features within the processes of germination and seedling development, knowing how these characteristics affect germination, it is an important dry forest ecology aspect. In the present study the relationship between size and weight of the seed, the efficiency of germination and seedling growth was determined. Therefore 4 species, dry forest Colicodendron scabridum, Leucaena trichodes, Coccoloba ruiziana, Erythroxylum glaucum was evaluated. The results indicate that small seeds germinate in less time and have a higher germination percentage (45%), as in the case of Coccoloba ruiziana, in the case of large seeds such as Leucaena trichodes germinated only 14% and needed more time to germination. We can conclude that large seeds have a low germination percentage, but one advantage of these seeds is that their seedlings grow much faster and devote more resources to their leaf system and root and therefore are more vigorous seedlings compared to those from small seeds.