Germination percentage: consisted of the number of seedlings characterized as normal obtained at 10 and 12 days after sowing; values are expressed in percentage terms. First count of germination test: represented by the number of normal seedlings obtained at 5 and 7 days after start of the germination test, and results were expressed in percentage terms. Dates for counts were based on data obtained for the curves of accumulated germination. Germination rate (GR) and Germination Rate Index (GRI): were conducted together with the germination test; daily counts were made of the number of normal seedlings until stabilization of counts. GR (days) and GRI (seedlings.day-1) were calculated according to Nakagawa (1999). Seedling dry matter (DM): normal seedlings obtained after each count of the germination test were dried in a forced air circulation oven, at 60 ± 2 oC, until constant weight. The results were expressed in g.seedling-1.