Vigor Of Soybean Seeds Research Articles

Analysis of seedling images to evaluate the physiological potential of soybean seeds

The use of artificial intelligence techniques collaborate in laboratory analysis of seeds. In this sense, the objective of this work was to verify the efficiency of the Ground Eye® equipment in evaluating the vigor of soybean seeds and the agronomic performance of soybean varieties 74I77 RSF IPRO and NT 1478SP. For this, experiments were carried out to analyze the germination of soybean seeds. The variables analyzed by the analyst and Ground Eye® equipment were the following: number of normal, intermediate, weak and abnormal seedlings. The tetrazolium, vigor and seedling emergence test under field conditions for soybean cultivars were also performed. For seedling emergence in the field, tetrazolium test and vigor there was no statistical difference between soybean cultivars. The Ground Eye Series L equipment showed a lower number of normal seedlings, number of intermediate seedlings, number of weak seedlings and a higher number of vigorous seedlings when compared to the analyzes carried out manually. Based on the results, the cultivar NT 1478SP showed better performance and may be promising in the field. The Ground Eye L Series equipment is an efficient tool for checking the vigor of soybean seedlings, helping the analyst to perform the tests more quickly.

PEG-6000 Priming Improves Aged Soybean Seed Vigor via Carbon Metabolism, ROS Scavenging, Hormone Signaling, and Lignin Synthesis Regulation

Seed priming, a valuable seed pretreatment method widely employed in agricultural production, counteracts the decline in seed vigor attributed to aging and deterioration. However, PEG priming effectively enhances the vigor of aged soybean seeds. In this study, “TONGDOU13” soybean seeds were subjected to PEG-6000 priming at varying concentrations (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%) for three different durations (12 h, 24 h, 36 h). The results showed that a 24 h priming with 30% PEG-6000 significantly enhances the vigor of aged soybean seeds. To elucidate the mechanism underlying the heightened vigor resulting from PEG-6000 priming, we employed transcriptome sequencing and physiological–biochemical tests. Transcriptome sequencing analysis showed the significant down-regulation of carbon metabolism-related genes post PEG-6000 priming, which facilitated energetically efficient germination. Five peroxidase-encoding genes displayed significant up-regulation, promoting the conversion of coumaryl alcohol to hydroxy-phenyl lignin, a probable catalyst for augmented seed vigor. SOD and GST genes were significantly up-regulated, enhancing the scavenging ability of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The concurrent up-regulation of brassinolide (BR) and auxin (IAA) signals countered ABA signaling, thereby promoting aged seed germination. Further investigation included the measurements of antioxidant enzyme activity, hormone levels, and lignin content. Notably, primed aged seeds exhibited enhanced ROS scavenging ability, and increased lignin, BR, and IAA contents. Therefore, PEG priming may improve aged soybean seed vigor through the co-regulation of carbon metabolism, ROS scavenging, hormone signaling, and lignin synthesis. This study will be vital for preserving germplasm resources and reutilizing aged soybean seeds.

The role of the biochemical composition of soybean seeds in the tolerance to deterioration under natural and artificial aging

The fast decline in the physiological quality of seeds during storage is a serious problem. It is known that the reduction of seed quality may be related to its biochemical constitution. However, the relationship between the composition and the mechanisms linked to the loss of vigor of soybean seeds during aging has not been elucidated yet. Thus, the aim of this work was to analyze the role of the biochemical composition of soybean seeds in the physiological quality and in the tolerance to deterioration due to natural and artificial aging. Seeds of six soybean genotypes were analyzed initially and after being submitted to natural aging, storage for eight months, and artificial aging, using the temperature of 41 °C and 100 % relative humidity for 96 h. Moisture content, germination and vigor tests were carried out. Also, there were measured the content of oil, total protein, soluble protein, malonaldehyde, and fatty acids palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic. It was verified that the physiological quality of soybean seeds decreased with both kinds of aging. However, the deterioration process occurs by distinct mechanisms. The biochemical composition of the seeds is associated with the physiological quality and their storage potential is changed by natural and artificial aging. The tolerance of the seed to deterioration is related to soluble protein and fatty acids content. Oleic fatty acid and soluble protein can be used as indicators of physiological quality in soybean seeds.

Evaluation of the Effect of the Vigor of Soybean Seeds Treated with Micronutrients Using X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Hyperspectral Imaging

Seed treatment with micronutrients is a crucial strategy for providing early seedling supply during development, and is commonly employed in soybean cultivation. However, responses to micronutrient treatment may vary based on seed vigor levels. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the potential of hyperspectral imaging combined with preprocessing and machine learning, compared to X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, in evaluating the dynamics of micronutrient uptake during the germination of soybean seeds with varying levels of vigor. Two seed lots with differing levels of vigor were utilized for the analysis. The absorption of micronutrients by the seeds was evaluated using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), microprobe X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (μ-XRF) and hyperspectral imaging (HSI) in two regions of interest (cotyledons and the embryonic axis). Artificial neural network (ANN), decision tree (DT) and partial least squares–discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) classification models, along with the Savitzky–Golay (SG), standard normal variation (SNV) and multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) methods, were employed to determine seed vigor based on the impact of micronutrient treatment. XRF identified higher concentrations of micronutrients in the treated seeds, with zinc being the predominant element. μ-XRF analysis revealed that a significant proportion of the micronutrients remained adhered to the hilum and seed coat, irrespective of seed vigor. The PLS-DA classification model using spectral data exhibited higher accuracy in classifying soybean seeds with high and low vigor, regardless of seed treatment with micronutrients and the analyzed region.

Effect of Seed Coating and Packaging Material on Viability and Vigor of Soybean Seed in Room Temperature Storage

Soybean seed procurement was challenging due to the quality degradation during the seed storage period. Seed coating is necessary in order to overcome the leakage of seed metabolites. Seed coating has to be supported by a storage package that can protect the seed from temperature and humidity fluctuations in storage. This study aimed to determine the effect of seed coating using antioxidants and storage packaging to maintain the viability and vigor of soybean seeds. The experiment was carried out factorially with the basic pattern of Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and was repetitively replications by three times. The first factor was seed coating, which consisted of 4 levels such as M1=no coating, M2= 3% of Arabic gum + ascorbic acid, M3= 3% of Arabic gum + tocopherol, and M4= 3% of Arabic gum + mangosteen peel extract. The second factor was that the storage package consisted of 3 levels, which were N1= aluminum foil, N2= polyethylene plastic, and N3= plastic sack. The interaction between the seed coating material and storage package on seed moisture content with the best treatment was seed coating using ascorbic acid and aluminum foil package, seed coating treatment carried out the best effect without implementing the seed coating, and the storage package treatment that presented the best effect was aluminum foil package.

Vigor and anaerobic metabolism of soybean seeds evaluated by ethanol test

Abstract: Among the vigor tests, ethanol is an alternative that provides desirable characteristics to be applied in seed-producing companies internal quality control planning. The aim was to evaluate the vigor of soybean seeds by the ethanol test and the fermentative metabolism after its application. A completely randomized experimental design with five replications was used, with treatments consisting of 10 lots of soybean seeds, except for the variables composing the fermentative metabolism, for which five lots of soybean seeds were used. First, the initial quality of the lots was assessed by evaluating water content, germination, seedling emergence, accelerated aging, tetrazolium test (vigor), electrical conductivity, and seed respiration. For the ethanol test, the seeds were subjected to soaking times of 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes until the moment of reading, and subsequently, the fermentative metabolism was evaluated (lactate dehydrogenase - LDH, pyruvate decarboxylase - PDC, and alcohol dehydrogenase - ADH). The ethanol test in soybean seeds efficiently ranks lots into different levels of vigor, using the soaking time of 30 minutes, showing a moderate association between the electrical conductivity test and seed respiration. Furthermore, the activity of the enzymes LDH, PDC, and ADH proves that ethanol is produced during the soaking process of soybean seeds.

Viability and vigor of soybean seeds as a result of industrial seed treatment and stored in different environments

The industrial seed treatment (IST) of soybeans is an economically recommended technique in agricultural production, providing protection against pests and initial pathogens. However, the real effects of pesticides about the quality of soybean seeds are still little known, since the adoption of the system is still recent by soybean farmers. The objective of this work was to evaluate the physiological quality of soybean seeds, treated or not, with insecticide/ fungicide new mixtures and stored for 240 days in a non-controlled and controlled environment. The completely randomized design was used, distributed in a 5 x 2 x 6 factorial scheme with four replications. The plot treatments consisted of soybean seeds belonging to the cultivar M - 7739 IPRO, treated with six different insecticide/ fungicide mixtures {(Cruiser®); (Amulet®); (MaximAdvanced®); (Cruiser®+ MaximAdvanced®); (MaximAdvanced® + Amulet®); (untreated control)}, stored in two environments {(laboratory – without control and cold room – with control (10 ± 2 ºC,45± 2% UR)} for eight months of storage with five evaluation times (0; 60; 120; 180 and 240days). The following tests were carried out: water content, germination, first count, seedling length and seedling dry mass. It was found that the chemical treatments negatively affect the germination potential of seeds, especially after 120 days of storage, regardless of the environment.Thiamethoxamand Thiamethoxam + Metalaxil; Tabendazole; Fludioxonil after storage provided the biggest reductions in seed viability and vigor after 240 days of storage. The cold room environment provides better conditions for the conservation of the germinative potential of soybean seeds.

Transcripts Expressed during Germination Sensu Stricto Are Associated with Vigor in Soybean Seeds.

The rapid and uniform establishment of crop plants in the field underpins food security through uniform mechanical crop harvesting. In order to achieve this, seeds with greater vigor should be used. Vigor is a component of physiological quality related to seed resilience. Despite this importance, there is little knowledge of the association between events at the molecular level and seed vigor. In this study, we investigated the relationship between gene expression during germination and seed vigor in soybean. The expression level of twenty genes related to growth at the beginning of the germination process was correlated with vigor. In this paper, vigor was evaluated by different tests. Then we reported the identification of the genes Expansin-like A1, Xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase 22, 65-kDa microtubule-associated protein, Xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase 2, N-glycosylase/DNA lyase OGG1 and Cellulose synthase A catalytic subunit 2, which are expressed during germination, that correlated with several vigor tests commonly used in routine analysis of soybean seed quality. The identification of these transcripts provides tools to study vigor in soybean seeds at the molecular level.

Image analysis for the evaluation of soybean seeds vigor

The search for time and human subjectivity reduction in the analysis of the physiologic potential of seeds has brought forward the use of computerized systems as an alternative. The goal of this research was to assess the effectiveness of the GroundEye equipment in the characterization of soybean seeds vigor by using the image analysis technique in comparison to the information provided by vigor tests recommended to soybean seeds. Sixteen lots of two soybean varieties were used — variety 98Y12 and P98Y70, characterized by the following tests: germination test, accelerated ageing test, cold test, tetrazolium test, and seedling emergence in the field. The image analysis was performed using the GroundEye software to obtain the vigor index and the average length of seedlings and roots for a later comparison with the results of the accelerated ageing test and the manual measurement of the average length of seedlings and roots. GroundEye has demonstrated efficiency in the determination of vigor of soybean seeds and has reduced the time needed to obtain the results in six days, being indicated in the quality control programs established by soybean seeds production companies.

Soybean sowing under low water availability conditions: impacts of seed treatment and soil management

Abstract: The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of soybean sowing in soil with low water availability, under two management systems, using seeds with and without chemical treatment, on the physiological quality of seeds and seedling emergence. For this, two experiments were set up, one under no-tillage system (NTS) and the other under conventional tillage system (CTS), in a randomized block design, both in a 2x6 factorial scheme, with two seed treatment conditions (with and without) and six periods of seed permanence in the soil (0, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h), with four replications. Germination, vigor, percentage of abnormal seedlings and percentage of dead seeds were evaluated. Seed treatment made it possible to maintain germination at acceptable levels for up to five days of permanence of the seeds in the soil, even in CTS. Sowing in soils with low water availability can lead to reductions of 0.2 and 0.5 percentage points per hour of exposure to dry soil in germination and vigor of soybean seeds, respectively.

Systematic Review - State of the Art: strategies for vigor evaluation and production of high-vigor soybean seeds

Abstract: A systematic approach was employed with the objective of compiling updated and more promising information on the quality of soybean seeds, traits, treatments and analysis techniques. Among the 6,899 academic materials retrieved between 2017 and 2022, 57 of them were included in the study, separated into three groups: Group 1 - Theoretical materials addressing traits related to seed vigor, which can be used in biotechnological strategies and improvement of different species; Group 2 - Practical materials that apply techniques of treatment of soybean seeds; and Group 3 - Practical materials that apply techniques to evaluate vigor in soybean seeds. From the approach used, it was possible to observe that several genes, proteins and QTLs are associated with seed vigor. Seed treatment techniques focus on the use of biological and physical products, but there is a lack of studies validating these benefits in the field. Among the methods for evaluating the vigor of soybean seeds, the techniques of image analysis (visible light, LIBS, NIR, FTIR, FT-NIR, HSI-NIR, FHSI, Hyperspectral, Fluorescence spectral) and the use of software (Vigor-S®, SVIS®, SAPL®, IJCropSeed, Ilastik, VideometerLab®, MATLAB, ENVI®) stand out.

Physiological performance of soybean seeds in the accelerated aging test and their germination after several waiting periods

Abstract: The accelerated aging test is widely used to evaluate the vigor of soybean seeds. Currently, the methodology recommended in the literature is to set up the germination test at most one hour after the seed aging process, which makes it difficult to set up and evaluate a large number of samples. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of delay in setting up the germination test after the process of accelerated aging of soybean seeds, specifically its effect on seed physiological performance. We tested three seed lots of the soybean cultivars BRS 397, BRS 399 RR, BRS 1007 IPRO, BRS 1010 IPRO, and BRS 388, all within the standards required for commercialization. The seed lots were physiologically characterized by evaluation of moisture content, germination, seedling vigor classification, tetrazolium test (viability and vigor) and accelerated aging test. The treatments consisted of hours (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8) of delay in setting up the germination test after accelerated aging. A delay of up to eight hours in setting up the germination test after the accelerated aging process of soybean seeds has no direct relationship with the result of assessment of the physiological performance of the seed lot.

Equipment to assess vigor in soybean seeds using CO2 produced during respiration

ABSTRACT The adoption of quick and reliable laboratory techniques and equipment to choose the best seed lots for marketing will influence the production of soybeans with superior physiological quality, among other areas in the sector. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the CO2 concentrations produced by water-soaked soybean seeds and to verify the effectiveness of new equipment to help choose lots with different vigor levels. To evaluate the physical and physiological quality of the seeds, eight soybean lots were evaluated with the following tests: water content, weight of thousand seeds, first germination count, germination, electrical conductivity, emergence, and respiration evaluated by the Pettenkoffer apparatus and with equipment designed to measure CO2 in seeds. The results were subjected to analysis of variance with means compared by Tukey’s test at p ≤ 0.05. Conventional methods showed significant differences in vigor and viability in soybean seeds. The equipment designed was efficient in detecting CO2 produced by seeds soaked in water for 8 hours. The CO2 readings with the equipment presented satisfactory results to predict the vigor in soybean seeds through respiration.

Physiological quality of soybean seeds treated with imidacloprid before and after storage

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different slurry volume of imidacloprid insecticide on the physiological potential during the storage of seeds of three soybean cultivars. A completely randomised experimental design was adopted, in a 6 × 3 × 2 factorial scheme, which treatments were six slurry volumes with imidacloprid insecticide (0, 200, 500, 800, 1 100 and 1 400 mL/100 kg of seeds), 3 soybean cultivars (SYN15630, M5947, and NS5959) and 2 storage periods (0 and 30 days after seed treatment), with four replications. The treated seeds were stored in kraft paper bags with controlled temperature and humidity. The physiological potential of the seeds was evaluated by standard germination test, electrical conductivity, accelerated aging, seedling emergence in the sand seedbed, and the field. The germination and vigor of soybean seeds were reduced during storage, especially with the increase in the volumes of the insecticide solution.

Soybean Seed Vigor: Uniformity and Growth as Key Factors to Improve Yield

Emergence uniformity and the time required for emergence are essential factors for obtaining highly productive potential in plants. Factors such as sowing depth and soil moisture affect uniformity and emergence, but little is known about the impacts of seed vigor. Thus, we determined the impacts of seed vigor on uniformity and growth as well as development and yield in soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merrill) plants. The treatments consisted of four vigor levels (89%, 57%, 47%, and 43%) obtained by accelerated aging, in a randomized block design, with five replicates at three sites. Seeds with the highest vigor level showed higher uniformity and faster emergence. Dominated plants through their phenotypic plasticity modify stem diameter and internode length. The plants that emerged earlier had a larger leaf area in the three stages (V1, V4, and R2), allowing them to accumulate more photoassimilates in the initial stages. Consequently, these plants exhibited an increase in yield components, especially in the number of fertile nodes and the number of pods per plant, making them more productive.

Assessing Active Learning Strategies to Improve the Quality Control of the Soybean Seed Vigor

Seed companies increasingly seek excellence in production quality through rigorous processes, such as the tetrazolium test (TZ test) and the vigor definition. However, these are extremely laborious processes since it necessitates the experience of a specialist and the visual analysis of a considerable quantity of seeds as sampling for determining the vigor of the seed lot.Moreover, although the TZ test has a defined protocol, this analysis may vary from analyst to analyst because it is a subjective human process. In this context, several efforts have been carried out in an attempt to automate the analysis process, in order to reduce their intrinsic problems. Thus, this article presents approaches for the learning and classification of the soybean seed vigor. In addition, alternative active learning strategies are proposed to improve the selection of the most informative samples for the learning process. An extensive experimental evaluation is performed considering different datasets and state-of-the-art learning techniques. Based on the obtained results, it is possible to observe that active learning approaches lead to more robust classifiers, which reach higher accuracies faster (in less learning iterations) than traditional supervised learning approaches. We also obtained a reduction of 95.22% of labeled samples used in the learning process.

Vigor-S: System for Automated Analysis of Soybean Seed Vigor

Abstract: Computerized systems for image analysis are alternatives to decrease the subjectivity and speed of assessment of seed physiological potential. The aim of this study was to determine the efficiency of the Seed Vigor Automated Analysis System (Vigor-S) to identify differences in vigor among soybean seed lots compared to results of the Seed Vigor Imaging System - SVIS® and tests recommended for evaluation of soybean seed vigor. Two cultivars were used, BMX Potência RR and 7166 RSF IPRO, each one represented by ten seed lots with similar germination and vigor differences. The seeds were evaluated regarding germination, vigor (tetrazolium, accelerated aging), seedling emergence in the field and SVIS® and Vigor-S analysis, in three experimental periods. Analysis of variance was used on the data in a completely randomized experimental design (laboratory tests) and in randomized blocks (field tests), and the mean values were compared by the Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05). Separation of the seed lots by Vigor-S was consistent with the results obtained in tests recognized as effective in evaluating the physiological potential of soybean seeds, and there was no interference of the different cultivars on the response pattern for vigor. Analysis through Vigor-S proved to be effective in determination of physiological potential and for composition of quality control programs established by soybean seeds production companies.

Physiological potential of soybean seeds under hypoxia and salinity stress

Adverse factors affect the physiological performance of soybean seeds during field establishment. This study evaluates the physiological potential of Intacta soybean seeds under hypoxia and salinity stress, by submersion in water using different osmotic potentials. In both situations, three intact soybean cultivars (TMG 7062 IPRO, 63i64 RSF IPRO, 7166 RSF IPRO) were tested in the laboratory. To test the effect of hypoxia, the seeds subjected to the tests were previously immersed in water for periods of 0, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours. In the evaluation of salinity stress, towel papers were moistened with different solutions of potassium chloride (KCl) (0.0; -0.4; -0.8; and -1.2 MPa). Seed germination and vigor (first germination count, shoot length, primary root length, and seedling dry biomass) were evaluated. Seed germination was negatively affected by the 12-hour period of hypoxia. Cultivars 763i64 and 7166 were more tolerant to hypoxia conditions. Cultivar 7062 was more tolerant to salinity stress. Osmotic potential of -0.4 MPa affected the vigor of soybean seeds. Soybean cultivars showed adaptive differ­ences under hypoxia and salinity stress.

Physiological Effects of Insecticides and Fungicide, Applied in the Treatment of Seeds, on the Germination and Vigor of Soybean Seeds

The initial protection of plants through the use of insecticides and fungicides has been shown to be efficient for a good management of pests and diseases, however the molecules used in seed treatment have demonstrated a physiological effect on germination and initial vegetative development. The present work had as objective the evaluation of the physiological effect caused by two insecticides and a fungicide on the germination and vigor of the seeds. A randomized block design with six treatments and four replications was used. The treatments were: T1-water; T2-Rocks® insecticide; T3-Insecticide Cruiser 350 FS®; T4-Maxim XL® fungicide; T5-Rocks® + Maxim XL® and T5-Cruiser 350 FS® + Maxim XL®. The application of the treatments was performed according to the manufacturers’ recommendations and the percentage of germination of the seeds was evaluated, on paper and sand roll substrates, the rate of emergence, the total length of seedlings, the electrical conductivity of the imbibition and aging solution accelerated, with a later pattern of germination. The data were submitted to Analysis of Variance and the means were compared by the Tukey test. The results indicated that there were statistically significant differences for all variables except paper germination. The treatments that received the application of the Maxim XL fungicide demonstrated superiority, both in the evaluation of germination in sand substrate, and in the vigor evaluations of seeds and seedlings, while the treatments that received application of Rocks insecticide were inferior to the other.

Presoaking Treatment of Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] Seeds Using Fermented Plant Extracts and Commercial Liquid Fertilizer

The yield of soybean in the Philippines is significantly low. Presoaking is one of the seed priming techniques to improve seed quality. This study aimed to determine the effects of selected fermented plant extracts and commercial organic fertilizer on germination and vigor of soybean seeds. The seeds presoaked in organic agriculture inputs such as ipil ipil FPJ (Fermented Plant Juice), squash FFJ (Fermented Fruit Juice), commercial organic fertilizer (PSPLOF), and water (control). The seeds were then subjected to seed quality tests to evaluate germination and vigor. Ipil ipil FPJ and squash FFJ significantly improved the percentage germination, first count, vigor index, seedling growth, and seedling emergence. Commercial fertilizer showed poor results in seed germination and vigor tests. Seeds soaked in water showed high percentage germination but have poor vigor. Data were arranged in factorial in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The initial seed quality results revealed significantly poor germination and vigor. Therefore, presoaking of soybean seeds in ipil ipil FPJ and squash FFJ is recommended to improve the germination and vigor of soybean seeds. The results could be useful to reduce the cost of soybean production and to enhance the yield of soybean.