The soybean seeds produced in Santa Catarina have the potential for the application of new marketing strategies because they have superior quality over the minimum standards established by the Brazilian legislation. This potential was verified using time series analysis (TS). The main goal of this study was to characterize the physiological quality of soybean seeds produced in the State of Santa Catarina using data from the last five harvests in order to establish new commercialization strategies based on seed quality. Historical data for germination and vigor were obtained from the 2012/2013 to 2016/2017 harvests, with a total of 4606 lots studied. To validate the historical data, data from the 2016/2017 harvest were included. For this analysis, 100 lots of soybean seeds from the 2016/2017 harvest were collected, and laboratory tests for germination and vigor were performed. The results of the time series analysis showed that, on average, the germination rate ranged from 89 to 93%, with all values being higher than the minimum required for commercialization by the Brazilian legislation. Vigor ranged on average from 82 to 90%. Currently, there is no reference value for vigor in the Brazilian legislation for seed commercialization purposes. Of the total of lots evaluated, 1%, 2%, 21%, and 76% of seeds presented germination < 70%, 70-80%, 80-90%, and > 90%, respectively, whereas 4%, 3%, 7%, 17%, and 69% of the lots presented vigor < 70%, 70-75%, 75-80%, 80-85%, and > 85%, respectively. Considering that 76% of the lots presented germination > 90% and 69% of the lots had vigor > 85%, the lots that presented these percentages were ranked, and 64% were determined to meet high quality standards. Taking into account the 100 sampled lots from the 2016/2017 harvest, 55% presented germination > 90% and 58% had vigor > 85%. In this harvest, 41% of the lots met the standards of at least 90% germination and 85% vigor according to the ranking methodology. This study concludes that due to the stability of climatic conditions, the State of Santa Catarina produces soybean seeds with physiological quality above the minimum standards, which allow the establishment of a minimum vigor standard of 85% for the commercialization of soybean seeds.

Objetivou-se verificar a eficiência do hipoclorito de sódio (NaClO) na superação de dormência e na qualidade fisiológica de sementes de arroz. O experimento foi conduzido no Laboratório de Análise de Sementes, no Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias da Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (CAV/Udesc). Utilizaram-se sementes de arroz cultivar SCS122 Miura, com delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado e quatro repetições, sendo os tratamentos: T1 – sementes dormentes imersas em NaClO; T2 – sementes com dormência superada, em NaClO; T3 – sementes dormentes, em água; T4 – sementes com dormência superada, em água. O NaClO provocou aumento da condutividade elétrica (CE) para sementes com e sem dormência de 28,77 e 26,24 µS cm-1 .g-1 respectivamente, quando comparadas à imersão em água, indicando degradação das células. Sementes com e sem dormência imersas em NaClO apresentaram, respectivamente, aumento de 6,52 e 10,54 para o índice de velocidade de germinação (IVG) em relação às dormentes em água (9,2). Para a primeira contagem de germinação, a amostra com dormência em NaClO apresentou aumento de 5% em relação à imersão em água. No teste de germinação, obteve-se incremento de 5,81% para ambas as amostras com NaClO, comparadas a sementes com dormência em água (86%). Concluiu-se que o método de imersão em NaClO e em água promoveu a superação da dormência em arroz, mas afetou o vigor das sementes no teste de CE.

ABSTRACT Lantana camara (L.) is considered one of the main invasive plants, and the allelochemicals produced by this species can be defined as bioactive secondary metabolites that mediate chemical interactions between the plant and other organisms and, therefore, play an important role in its succession and establishment. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of L. camara aqueous extracts on the germination and growth behavior of Bidens pilosa (L.) by evaluating physiological parameters (germination rate, germination speed index, seedling performance and structure and membrane integrity), as well as the extract metabolic profile. The extract reduced the germination speed index and seedling growth rate and promoted abnormalities in the geotropism and root development in both populations. The third germination phase was highly affected (more than the phases I and II). Lantadene A and B are the possible compounds conferring the herbicidal properties, and the L. camara extract has a potential to be used in the development of a new environmentally-friendly herbicide.

ABSTRACT Lantana camara (L.) is considered one of the main weeds of agricultural crops, and allelochemicals produced by this species may be a source for the development of natural herbicides. In this study, phytotoxic effects of L. camara aqueous extracts on seed germination and seedling growth of Avena sativa (L.) were assessed. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 2 x 5 factorial scheme, with treatments resulting from two assays, testing five concentrations of the extract (0 %, 2.5 %, 5.0 %, 7.5 % and 10 %; vv-1). During the seed germination, physiological (e.g., seed imbibition, germination and vigor) and biochemical (e.g., catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, proline, phenols, malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide) proprieties were evaluated. The leaf extracts of L. camara affected the response variables on A. sativa by reducing the germination speed index (phases I and II) and seed viability (phase III of germination), thus causing a solute leakage and increasing the production of reactive oxygen forms and, finally, lipid peroxidation. Extract concentrations above 2.5 % inhibit the growth of epicotyls. Therefore, the studied allelochemicals showed potential to be exploited in the development of natural herbicides.

Abstract
Metabolomics is the analysis of an array of small-molecule metabolites known to be involved in a given biochemical pathway, and plant metabolism is perturbed by various abiotic stresses. In this review, basic definition of metabolomics, analytical tools used, metabolomic approaches, and how metabolomic techniques are used to assess the effects of abiotic stressors in plants and seeds are discussed. A brief summary shows that metabolomic techniques are powerful to dissect plant and seed responses to abiotic stress such as water, temperature, light, heavy metals, ions, salinity, and pollutants. It enables us to gain not only a comprehensive overview but also a detailed analysis of crucial components of plant and seed metabolic responses to abiotic stress, and it has proved to be a very important tool for the science and will continue making a contribution toward a better understanding of biological mechanisms that explain tolerance or susceptibility of plants and seeds to abiotic stress in the near future, which is being faced by increased climate changes.