4) Criogenic storage of seeds of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) Euphorbiaceae

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the physiological quality of seeds of physic nut during cryogenic storage at -196ºC (liquid nitrogen) and -170ºC (vapor of nitrogen) for periods of 0, 30, 60 and 90 days. The seeds were stored in cryogenic containers filled with liquid and vaporized nitrogen. Evaluation parameters were the seed germination and the plantlet vigor 14 days after sowing. The statistical delineation was completely randomized. A factorial analysis between two temperatures (-170ºC and -196ºC) and four cryopreservation periods (0, 30, 60 and 90 days) was employed. Four repetitions of fifty seeds per treatment were used. Data were submitted to variance analysis and the means were compared by Tukey’s test at 5% of probability. We concluded that cryopreserved seeds maintained their viability after cryogenic storage and satisfactory vigor indices were obtained after the cryogenic treatments, showing that seeds of the physic nut can be stored under cryogenic temperatures.

Keywords

• cryopreservation
• oily species
• physiological quality