Quality of seeds from Leucaena species stored under ambient conditions

The objective of this research was to know the performance of the seeds from different species of the Leucaena genus (Leucaena leucocephala, Leucaena lanceolata, Leucaena diversifolia, Leucaena macrophylla and Leucaena esculenta), stored under ambient conditions and subject to an evaluation of their physical, physiological and sanitary quality. The material came from the harvests of the collection planted at the Pastures and Forages Research Station Indio Hatuey (Matanzas province, Cuba). Samples were taken from two seed lots, with 6 and 18 months of storage, in which the moisture content, germination and viability were determined. In addition, the hard, fresh and dead seeds were counted. A completely randomized design was used, and the data were processed through a variance analysis (ANOVA). The results indicated the variation, in terms of quality, of the stored seeds at 6 months with regards to those that had been stored for 18 months; however, both lots are considered adequate. The rotting increased (75%) with the months of storage; while the viability decreased as the storage time and physiological age increased (95 vs. 65,7% at 6 and 18 months, respectively). Fungi were the main microorganisms that caused seed rot, with higher effect on the seeds that had been stored for 18 months. Key words: Physical and physiological quality, Leucaena spp., seeds, storage