Fire-simulating temperatures do not affect seed imbibition and germination of Vochysia tucanorum Mart., a woody species from the Cerrado

Abstract The colonization of new spaces in post-fire environments depends on habitat availability and the capacity of these environments to provide suitable microclimatic conditions for germination. Furthermore, the persistence of non-dormant woody species in fire-prone environments is influenced by the effects of fire passage on their seed germination. Thus, we investigated the effects of heat shocks on the imbibition and germination of Vochysia tucanorum Mart. (Vochysiaceae) seeds under temperature fluctuations simulating post-fire conditions in the cerrado sensu stricto . The seeds tolerated the applied heat shock without compromising the evaluated parameters, indicating that 70 °C for 5 min neither affected seed imbibition nor seed germination under temperature fluctuations. This ensures seed survival and germination in post-fire environments. Thus, this study provides new insights to evaluate persistence in other non-dormant species in post-fire environments.