The inclusion of image analysis techniques for the accurate and rapid assessment of the quality of forest seeds is highly desirable. The use of digital radiographic images of seeds and the analysis of seedling images, still little used in determining the quality of forest seeds, are among the available imaging techniques. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of using the analysis of images of seeds and seedlings in the assessment of the physical and physiological quality of Senna siamea seeds. Radiographic images of seeds were obtained from five seed lots, allowing generating morphological and tissue integrity descriptors. These seeds were then subjected to germination and seedling growth tests, which allowed obtaining variables related to physiological quality. The generated seedlings were scanned and analyzed using the software ImageJ. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance, correlation, and principal component analysis. The results showed differences between seed lots in terms of physiological quality and physical integrity of internal tissues. Significant correlations were observed between the variables obtained with the radiographic analysis and seed physiological characterization tests. The use of techniques to analyze seed radiographs and seedling images allows access to information on the physical and physiological integrity of S. siamea seeds.

The development of procedures enabling agility and effectiveness to the analyses of seed vigor are great advances for the seed research field. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the efficiency of the Seedling Analysis System (SAPL®) to seedling phenotyping and determining the physiological potential of soybean seeds, in comparison with the information provided by traditional vigor tests recommended for this species. The characterizing of physiological potential of the seed lots was carried out based on germination tests, first germination count, seedling emergence, cold test, and electrical conductivity. The results of these tests were compared with the data obtained using image analysis with the software SAPL®, which was used to evaluate the development seven- day old seedlings. It was obtained the length of shoot, primary root and entire seedling, growth rates, uniformity, vigor index and corrected vigor index, based on different variations of the growth/uniformity ratio, namely 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, in the vigor index calculation. Analysis of images of the seven-day old seedlings using SAPL® enables phenotyping of soybean seedlings and is a consistent and promising alternative for identifying differences in vigor between soybean seed lots, equivalent to that found with traditional vigor tests.