Qualidade fisiológica de sementes de Capsicum chinense Jacq. em função do estádio de maturação e do armazenamento pós-colheita dos frutos

Abstract

The "pimenta-de-cheiro" (Capsicum chinense) is highly valued in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil for its pleasant aroma and low pungency, being widely used in human nutrition. However, despite its relevance, there is a lack of studies on this crop and the availability of commercial seeds is limited. Thus, fruit maturation and post-harvest storage can enhance seed potential, contributing to vigor and germination in various crops. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological quality of "pimenta-de-cheiro" seeds in relation to the maturation stage and post-harvest storage period. The research was conducted on a private property located at Colônia Agrícola do Matapi - AP and at the Federal Institute of Amapá - Porto Grande Agricultural Campus, AP. The experimental design was completely randomized, organized in a factorial scheme (3 maturation stages x 3 post-harvest storage periods), with 4 repetitions of 50 seeds. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance, and means were compared using Tukey’s test at a 5% probability level. Maturation stage and postharvest storage period of fruits were evaluated through fruit biometric parameters such as weight, length, median diameter, and pulp thickness, as well as seed-related parameters: 100- seed dry mass (g), moisture content (%), and thousand-seed weight (g). To analyze seed physiological quality, germination tests, first germination count, emergence, Emergency Velocity Index (EVI), seedling length, seedling dry mass, and electrical conductivity tests were performed. Biometric parameters of the fruits increased as maturation progressed. However, the green stage (15 DAA) exhibited better resistance to post-harvest storage, with more uniform reductions. Regarding germination and vigor tests, the red stage showed superiority with uniform behavior across the tested storage periods. The orange stage presented intermediate parameters with seeds left in the fruit, while green fruits produced immature seeds unsuitable for propagation. It is concluded that maturation increases the biometric parameters of fruits, while post-harvest storage decreases them. Seeds from red fruits (45 DAA) reach physiological maturity at harvest and are recommended for propagation without the need for post-harvest storage. For seeds from green (15 DAA) and orange (30 DAA) fruits, storage proved beneficial.