Vigor of lentil seeds evaluated by the tests of accelerated aging and controlled deterioration

Abstract

The objective of this work was to investigate the efficiency of the accelerated aging and controlled deterioration tests in the evaluation of lentil seeds’ vigor. Water content was determined and the physiological quality was evaluated using germination and vigor tests (first count, seedling emergence, indices of germination speed and emergence, accelerated aging test with traditional method and with NaCl saturated solution at 41ºC and 45ºC for 24, 48, 72 hours and controlled deterioration with 20% and 24% water content for 24, 48 and 72 hours at 45ºC) in seven lots of lentil seeds cv Silvina. The use of traditional accelerated aging test and the NaCl saturated solution method at 41ºC for 48 hours were efficient to classify lentil seeds’ lots. The combination of 20% and 24% water for 48 hours exposure and of 20% water for 72 hours exposure were efficient to classify the lentil seed lots by the controlled deterioration test.