Metodologia para determinar a viabilidade de tubérculos de Cyperus rotundus

Abstract

This work aimed to develop and to validate a methodology based on tetrazolium test to determine the viability of purple nutsedge tubers (Cyperus rotundus). The treatments for methodology development were combined in factorial design 3 x 4 x 5, three tubers conditions (dead as control, conditioning with water and conditioning for loss of moisture), four concentrations of tetrazolium (0.1, 0.25, 0.5 , and 1%) and 5 assessment periods (8, 16, 24, 32 and 48 hours after immersion in solution). For methodology validation the treatments were arranged in factorial design 2 x 5, with two methods to evaluate the tubers (tetrazolium test and sprouting) and five rates of glyphosate: 0, 180, 360, 720 and 1440 g a e ha-1, applied to C. rotudus at the pre-flowering. At 30 days after glyphosate application the tubers were collected for evaluation by tetrazolium test and sprouting. The concentration of tetrazolium used for validation was 1%, keeping the tubers in the solution for a period of 24 hours. At the end of each studied period, the tubers were removed, washed and cut to conduct visual assessment, determining the presence and intensity of coloration along the surface of them. The best treatments were those in which the tubers were previously dehydrated, indicating that tetrazolium entrance predominantly occurs by mass flow. The treatments results for methodology validation indicated that the coloration percentage decreased as the glyphosate rates increased. Tetrazolium test is a good indicator of the viability of purple nutsedge tubers, with satisfactory results when immersed in 1% concentration for at least 8 hours.