Evaluation of germination of native maize accessions conserved in the UTMACH seed bank

Abstract

The conservation of native accessions in seed banks requires periodic viability assessments to identify materials with reduced physiological quality and to develop recovery strategies. This study evaluated the germination capacity and initial vigor of five native maize (Zea mays L.) accessions conserved in the UTMACH Seed Bank, identified as: SIRF-109, SIRF-110, SIRF-111, SIRF-125, and SIRF-126. Five pre-germination treatments were applied: T1 distilled water, T2 gibberellic acid, T3 coconut water, T4 Trichoderma sp., and T5 seaweed extract; a 5 × 5 factorial design was used. The following variables were recorded: germinated seeds, ungerminated seeds, hard seeds, fresh seeds, dead seeds, normal seedlings, abnormal seedlings, root length, and plumule length. ANOVA revealed significant differences (p < 0.001) for normal seedlings, root length, and plumule length. The T5 seaweed treatment favored early growth, and coconut water was the limiting treatment. Accessions SIRF-109, SIRF-110, SIRF-111, and SIRF-125 maintained acceptable viability, while SIRF-126 showed low germination and requires priority regeneration.