%0 Journal Article %T Conserva£¿£¿o de sementes de a£¿a¨ª (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) %A Nascimento %A Walnice Maria Oliveira Do %A Cicero %A Silvio Moure %A Novembre %A Ana Dion¨ªsia da Luz Coelho %J Revista Brasileira de Sementes %D 2010 %I Associa??o Brasileira de Tecnologia de Sementes %R 10.1590/S0101-31222010000100003 %X the a£¿a¨ª palm (euterpe oleracea mart.), grown principally for its palm heart and highly nutritious berrys, has recalcitrant seeds which cannot be stored for long periods because they do not resist drying or low temperatures. the effects of seed moisture content and storage temperature on the maintenance of seed quality were investigated using a£¿a¨ª palm cultivar brs par¨¢ seeds conditioned in polyethylene bags at moisture contents of 43.4%, 37.4%, 30.3%, 26.1%, 21.0%, 15.1% and 11.9% and storage temperatures of 20 oc, 15 oc and 10 oc for 360 days, periodic samples being taken to determine moisture content, germination and vigor. at all the temperatures studied, partial drying to a water content of 37.4% did not produce any immediate effects on germination or vigor but as the water content dropped there was progressive deterioration until at 15.1% germination ceased. after 360 days, seeds with a water content of 21.0% or less did not germinate independent of storage temperature. seeds with a water content of 43.4% stored at 20 oc remained viable for up to 270 days. %K a£¿a¨ª palm %K drying %K deterioration %K vigor %K water content. %U http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S0101-31222010000100003&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en