Four groups (0.3kg each) of selected and scarified canafistula seeds were used for
the experiments. The first group (control) did not receive any pre treatment. The second group
was pre imbibed in distilled water; the third and fourth groups were pre imbibed in KNO3 solutions
(0.5 and 1.0M, respectively). The last three groups stayed submersed during 24 hours in continuously
aerated solutions at 20oC. After, they were dried at 27oC until the initial weight presented before
the pre imbibition be reached (48 hours). Finally, the seeds were stored in hermetic containers at
5oC. The tests were carried out with four replicates of 25 seeds each, and the data were submitted
to the variance analysis and Tukey-Kramer test. The lowest and highest values of conductivity
(31.9Scm-2 and 11137Scm-2 ) were recorded for seeds primed in water and in KNO3 (1.0M),
respectively. For the submersion test (percentage at 48 hours and germination rate at 72 hours);
emergence percentage and seedling dry mass under field conditions, priming in water produced
the best results. Seeds primed in KNO3 solutions at 0.5 and 1.0M decreased the vigor and viability,
exception made for the tests to evaluate the germination and emergence rate. Pre imbibition in
water increase the germination percentage for seeds stored during 45 days and submitted to salt
stress.