Seeds conservation and cryoconservation of ‘japonês’ quince rootstock

Abstract

A protocol of quince seedlings production was developed by grafted in the ‘Japonês’ rootstock in the winter (July). As the extraction of the seeds of the ‘Japonês’ is in May and it is demanded nine months to produce the rootstock, there is need to study techniques of seeds conservation to facilitate the seedlings production in the nursery. The present work has the objective to study the viability of the seeds conservation and cryoconservation of ‘Japonês’ quince rootstock. A part of the seeds was sowed immediately and the remaining had the humidity lowered for 14.14%. Part was stratification for 20 days in refrigerator in Petri plates, another part was stored by 3, 6, 9 or 12 months inside of plastic tubes, under 20, 5 ord -12 ºC and the remaining seeds were cryoconserved for 20 days. After the storage, all seeds were stratified, on sowed under Petri plates and placed in B.O.D. We evaluated the percentage of germination to the end of stratification and for more four evaluations spaced seven days. Concluded that it is possible to store the seeds of quince for up to 9 months under the temperature of 20 ºC or for long periods by cryoconservation.