Accelerated ageing as a vigour test on chickpea seeds

Abstract

The objective of this work was to establish the temperature and the period of exposure needed to perform the traditional accelerated ageing test with saturated NaCl salt solution on chickpea seeds. Eight seed lots from two cultivars, including four seeds each, were subjected to germination and vigour tests for initial characterization. Following the methodology of the traditional accelerated ageing test. The seeds were placed on stainless steel screens in boxes with 40 mL deionized water. They were kept at 41 and 45º Celsius for 24 and 48 hours. Furthermore, the accelerated ageing test using [40 g of NaCl in 100 mL of water, thus providing 76% of relative humidity in air] NaCl (salt) solution in place of the deionized water was performed. Aged seeds were sowed in germination paper and kept in a germination chamber at 41º and 45º Celsius. The evaluations were performed five and eight days after sowing. The statistical analysis was performed with a completely randomized design and four replications. The traditional ageing of both cultivars showed a water content higher than the tolerated limits at 48 hour period and 41 and 45 °C. In the saturated saline test, the cultivar BRS Aleppo produced consistent results at temperatures 45 °C for 24 h. The cultivar Cícero showed a low correlation with the initial characterization as the results of accelerated ageing. Thus, for ‘BRS Aleppo’, the recommended accelerated ageing methodology was application of saturated saline solution, when seed exposed to 41 °C for 24 hours with germination evaluation at the first count date. For 'Cicero', satisfactory results were not obtained, and new studies are required to establish a methodology.