Potassium leaching test to evaluate quality in wheat seeds

Abstract

The potassium leaching test is based on the integrity of the seeds cell membranes and it is considered a quick method for evaluating seed vigor. This study aimed to verify the efficiency of the potassium leaching test as a quick test to determine the physiological quality of wheat seeds (Triticum aestivum L.). The experiment was carried using five wheat seed lots produced by plants grown under different nitrogen doses. The evaluation included germination, vigor (first germination counting, accelerated aging, electrical conductivity, emergence in the field and potassium leaching), weight of a thousand seeds, hectolitre weight, determination of total potassium and total nitrogen. The potassium leaching test is efficient in the evaluation of the quality of wheat seeds, and it is able to be used as a quick test for vigor evaluation.