Physiological potential of chickpea seeds

Abstract

The chickpea crop is grown predominantly in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. India is the largest producing country, in Brazil production is scarce, leading the country to import almost all of what is consumed. Grains are a good source of carbohydrates, proteins and even essential amino acids. One of the first steps towards profitable production is knowledge about the availability of high-quality seeds. The germination test, evaluates the formation of normal seedlings in ideal conditions, so it must be associated with vigor tests, rapid and uniform germination of the seeds, simulating adversities in the field. Among the tests used, accelerated aging and electrical conductivity are common, as well as the study of the water absorption curve by the seeds. Accelerated aging is based on high temperature and humidity, real stress conditions in the field or in storage. For chickpeas, it is recommended to use saturated saline solution, 24 h exposure, at 41 ºC and evaluation at the first count. The electrical conductivity is determined by the amount of leachate, the higher the values, the less vigor. The most suitable methodology is the use of 75 seeds, volume of 100 mL of water, during 30 h of soaking. The process of water imbibition by the seeds occurs according to a three-phase pattern. In studies with the species, there was no clear definition between the three phases. However, the Peleg model adjusted to the imbibition data of the analyzed cultivars. There are other efficient ways, not yet described, for evaluating the physiological potential in this species, among them the tetrazolium test, images from scanners and radiographs, or even magnetic resonance of seeds. Although these tools require expensive equipment, they can streamline and increase the accuracy of seed analysis.