Seed vigor testing: an overview of the past, present and future perspective

Abstract

The assessment of seed vigor has many important implications to the seed industry as a basic monitoring of seed physiological potential during different phases of seed production and a support for strategic decisions regarding the selection of high quality seedlots to meet the consumer demand. The potential attributes of seed vigor as a fundamental physiological seed characteristic and its association with field stand establishment and crop productivity has been worldwide recognized from the 1960s onward. This led to the diversification of research approaches involving the synchronization of different physiological characteristics and events that determine the potential for high performance during seed storage and after sowing. The basic objective of vigor testing is to provide a consistent identification of differences in physiological potential among seedlots of commercial value and this represents a more sensitive parameter than the germination test. There are various procedures to assess seed vigor including those that directly or indirectly evaluate seed metabolic state or identify seed tolerance to specific stress(es). At the same time, in more recent years, new knowledge has come from molecular biology, biotechnology, biophysics and seed and seedling imaging analyses; these approaches has been important complements to traditional seed research.. This text has the purpose to emphasize the role of Brazilian research in seed vigor, whose competence is internationally recognized, and to provide an overview of the evolution of knowledge also attempting to highlight events that contributed to the advancement of research on the subject.

Accelerated aging as vigor test for sunn hemp seeds

“…For birds foot trefoil seeds, also a forage legume, the seed vigor was also drastically reduced during AA test at 41°C and relative humidity of approximately 95% (ARTOLA & CARILLLO-CASTAÑEDA, 2005). Under these conditions, there are limitations to evaluate the seed vigor, because differences in seed moisture content before or after AA test, can cause variability in the results (MARCOS-FILHO, 2015).…”

“…The decline in seed vigor implies slow germination and low uniformity of seedlings in the field (MARCOS-FILHO, 2015). Thus, the correct classification of seed lots according to the physiological potential is an important stage in seed production systems.…”

“…Procedures based on stress tolerance to evaluate the seed vigor have been widely used to determine its performance after sowing (MARCOS-FILHO, 2015).…”

“…The rate and intensity of water uptake by seeds can influence the accelerated aging test results (MARCOS-FILHO, 2015). Accordingly, replacement of distilled water with saturated salt solutions have been studied for testing conduction, which control the seed hydration without compromising on the efficiency of testing (JIANHUA & McDONALD, 1997).…”

Exudate coloring test suitability for assessing the viability of coffee seeds ( Coffea arabica L.)

“…The tests that demand less time to be conducted are related to enzymatic and respiratory activities of the seeds or to the integrity of the cellular membranes (Marcos-Filho, 2015b). The loss of the selective permeability of the cellular membranes has been reported as one of the initial events of the deterioration process of seeds, which culminates with the loss of the germination power (Marcos-Filho, 2015a).…”