Tetrazolium test in the evaluation of watermelon physiological seed quality

Abstract

The tetrazolium test is one of the most promising methods to estimate in a fast way viability and vigor of seeds. Its usage in watermelon seeds requires some care with the imbibition and handling due to presence of mucilaginous layer adherent to the tegument. The objective of this research work was to define the imbibition time and the method of scarification for removing the mucilage, during pre – conditioning of the tetrazolium test in watermelon. Seeds from different watermellon cultivars were immersed in water at 30°C from 12 to 18 hours, and sloughed in cal, fine and thick sand. After longitudinal cut in the distal portion to the embryonic axis, the tegument was removed and embryos were kept in water for additonal 2 hours at 30°C for hand removal of the remaining membrane. After definition of the ideal pre – conditioning method, the embryos were immersed in tetrazolium solution in concentrations of 0,075%; 0, 5% and 1% for 3 and 4 hours at 30°C. The immersion of watermelon seeds in water at 30°C for 12 hours, mucilage removal with fine sand, longitudinal cut in the distal portion to the embryonic axis, and removal of tegument, followed by the permanence of embryos in water for 2 hours at 30°C for the hand removal of the internal membrane and immersion in the tetrazolium solution at 0,075% for 4 hours at 30°C are adequate procedures for the evaluation of watermelon seed quality.