Amburana cearensis (Fr. Allem) AC Smith is a native Caatinga species commonly found in the semiarid region of North East of Brazil, which possesses resistance to temperature and drought stress and is widely used in the folk medicine. This study aimed at a better understanding of seed imbibition and germination as well as to evaluate the effect of water restriction on total phenolics and antioxidant properties in cotyledons of A. cearensis (Fr. Allem) A.C. Smith. Seeds were imbibed in water (control) or PEG 8000 solution (-1.2 and -1.4 MPa). Germinability was evaluated up to 180 h of seed imbibition, whereas cotyledons were collected at 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h of imbibition. The radical scavenging ability was enhanced in response to the water restriction after 96 h of imbibition as compared to the control. Water restriction affected water uptake and seed germinability while inducing a faster response in terms of biosynthesis of phenolic compounds, although total phenolic content decreased as compared to control. There is a high correlation between total phenolics and antioxidant activity for the seeds subjected to the water restriction conditions. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms underlying plant adaptation to harsh environmental conditions during germination, which would be very helpful to develop germination and seedling production protocols aimed at strategies for the sustainable exploitation of A. cearensis by local folk communities under the typical harsh conditions of the Brazilian Caatinga and semiarid regions.
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