Classification of West Indian gherkin seeds vigor by respiratory activity

Moadir De Sousa Leite,Tiago De Sousa Leite,Rômulo Magno Oliveira De Freitas,Salvador Barros Torres,Caio César Pereira Leal

doi:10.5935/1806-6690.20190036

Abstract

Seed companies increasingly need to obtain rapid and reliable results on seed quality. In this context, this study aimed at verifying the efficiency of CO2 measurement for classifying West Indian gherkin (Cucumis anguria L.) seed vigor, using three seed lots of cv. “Do Norte” and three of cv. “Nordestino”. In order to assess seed physiological quality, the following tests were performed: germination, seedling emergence, emergence speed index, shoot length, total dry matter, electrical conductivity and respiratory activity. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four replicates, and the means were compared by Tukey test at 5% probability level. Pearson’s simple correlation was performed between the traditional vigor tests and the respiratory activity. The results of the germination and vigor tests allowed the West Indian gherkin seed lots to be classified into different levels of physiological quality. CO2 measurement is a promising method to identify vigor differences among West Indian gherkin seed lots.

Highlights

West Indian gherkin (Cucumis anguria L.), Cucurbitaceae family, is a vegetable widely used in the traditional cooking of the North, Northeast and Mid-West regions of Brazil (OLIVEIRA et al, 2017)
Besides Brazil, it is cultivated in countries such as Cuba, India, United States and massively in the African continent (YOON; CHUNG; THIRUVENGADAM, 2015)
Seeds from each lot were subjected to physiological quality evaluations, as described below

Summary

Introduction

West Indian gherkin (Cucumis anguria L.), Cucurbitaceae family, is a vegetable widely used in the traditional cooking of the North, Northeast and Mid-West regions of Brazil (OLIVEIRA et al, 2017). Besides Brazil, it is cultivated in countries such as Cuba, India, United States and massively in the African continent (YOON; CHUNG; THIRUVENGADAM, 2015) It is a species with high production potential and well adapted to adverse conditions, studies allowing its expansion are still scarce, especially related to the handling of its seeds (GUIMARÃES et al, 2008). The germination test is the official method to determine physiological quality of seed lots. It is not always correlated with the result in the field, and its conduction may be time-consuming, creating the need to develop quick tests which are consistently correlated with the emergence of seedlings in the field. For C. anguria seeds, the germination test lasts 8 days (BRASIL, 2009), a relatively long period for decision-taking

Objectives

Methods

Results