Methods of mucilage remotion and physiological quality of tomato (Lycopersicon sculentum Mill.) seeds

Abstract

Different methods of mucilage remotion and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) seeds were studied, in a complete randomized design experiment with four replications. After manual extraction, seeds and slimes were submitted to the following remotion treatments: immediate washing, three-day fermentation, hydrochloric acid at 2,5% (25 mg/kg for 2 hrs.), acetic acid at 10% (25 ml/kg of material), and ammonia hydroxide at 2,5% (25 ml/kg, for 2 hrs.). A physiological quality evaluation of seeds was carried out through the percentage of germination and vigor, percentage of in-sand emergence, electrical conductivity, and weight of fresh and dry matters of seedlings. The results showed that the methods of immediate washing, fermentation, commercial hydrochloric and acetic acids do not affect the physiological quality of tomato seeds; the germination percentage was not affected by the different remotion methods, and the ammonia hydroxide method affects seed vigor.