LAUSR

EnglishCaesalpinia pulcherrima is a Fabaceae family species from Central America, which has a small size and is widely used as a living fence in the urban afforestation for streets, parks, and gardens. Based on this importance, the aim of this research was to study the influence of light and temperature on the germination of C. pulcherrima seeds. The study was carried out at the Laboratory of Seed Analysis of the Center of Agricultural Sciences of the Universidade Federal da Paraiba, Areia, PB, Brazil. The experimental design was completely randomized, comprising a 3x5 (three temperatures and five light regimes) factorial scheme with four replicates containing 25 seeds each. Germination and vigor of seeds were evaluated under temperatures of 25°C and 30oC constant and 20-30oC alternated in different light regimes: white, green, red-distant, red, and absence of light. Variables analyzed were: germination, first germination count, germination speed index, root length, shoot length, and the ratio of dry mass of root/shoot of the seedlings. Seeds of C. pulcherrima germinate in the presence and absence of light, being a neutral photoblastic. Recommendation to test the vigor of these seeds is the temperature of 30°C in the white light regime. Key words: flamboyant mirim; photoblastism; vigor portuguesCaesalpinia pulcherrima, pertence a familia Fabaceae, e uma especie exotica originada da America Central, apresenta pequeno porte, muito utilizada como cerca-viva em arborizacao de ruas, parques e jardins. Diante de sua importância o trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a influencia da luz e temperatura na germinacao de sementes de C. pulcherrima. A pesquisa foi conduzida no Laboratorio de Analise de Sementes, do Centro de Ciencias Agrarias da Universidade Federal da Paraiba, em Areia, PB, Brasil. O experimento foi conduzido em um esquema fatorial 3x5 (tres temperaturas e cinco regimes de luz) com quatro repeticoes, contendo 25 sementes para cada tratamento. Avaliou-se a germinacao e vigor das sementes sob temperaturas de 25°C e 30oC constantes e 20-30oC alternada em diferentes regimes de luz: branca, verde, vermelha-distante, vermelha, e ausencia de luz. As variaveis analisadas foram: germinacao, primeira contagem de germinacao, indice de velocidade de germinacao, comprimento de raiz/parte aerea e massa seca de raiz/parte area de plântulas. As sementes de C. pulcherrima germinam na presenca e ausencia de luz, sendo um fotoblastico neutro. A recomendacao para testar o vigor dessas sementes e a temperatura de 30°C no regime de luz branca. Palavras-chave: flamboyant mirim; fotoblastismo; vigor