Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
overcome the discrepancy in hard seed content, the seeds should be moistened for a longer period
of time at a cool temperature.
6. Seedborne organisms.
In germination tests on low quality seed, fungal infection may prevent
all viable seeds from germinating normally. Agreement between the two tests is often better if
the seeds are treated with a fungicide before the germination test. Cotton, peanuts, soybeans and
lima beans are examples of crops that beneit from fungicide treatment, particularly when aged or
injured.
7. Chemical injury.
Fumigation injury and over-treatment with seed treatments may not be detected
with the tetrazolium test. The chemical damage that prevents normal germination may not inhibit
the tetrazolium staining process.
8. Subjectivity
of evaluation among analysts.
The best way to judge the accuracy of tetrazolium tests is by repeated comparisons of tetrazolium
and germination tests on the same seed samples. If tetrazolium tests are consistently higher or lower than
the germination results, the tetrazolium interpretations can then be “calibrated” until they come into better
agreement with germination results.
Selected references
Association of Oficial Seed Analysts (AOSA). 2010. Tetrazolium Testing Handbook. Contrib. no. 29.
Assoc. Ofic. Seed Analysts. Ithaca, NY.
Bittencourt, S.R.M. and R.D. Vieira. 1997. Use of reduced concentrations of tetrazolium solutions for the
evaluation of the viability of peanut seed lots. Seed Sci. Technol. 25:75-82.
Dias, M. C.L.L. and A.S.R. Barros. 1999. Metodologia do teste de tetrazolio emsementes de milho.
(Methodology of the tetrazolium test for corn seeds.) P. 8.4.1-8.1.10.
In
F.C. Krzyzanowski, et al.
(eds.) Vigor de sementes: conceitos e testes. (Seed vigor: concepts and tests.) ABRATES, Londrina,
Brazil.
International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). 1985. Handbook on Tetrazolium Testing. Int. Seed Test.
Assoc. Zurich, Switzerland.
International Seed Testing Association. 2010. International rules for seed testing. Chapter 6: Biochemical
Tests for Viability. Topographical Tetrazolium Test. Int. Seed Test. Assoc. Bassersdorf, Switzerland.
Lakon, G. 1942. Topographischer Nachweis der Keimfahigkeit der Getreidefruchte durch Tetrazoliumsalze.
(Topographic determination of the viability of cereal seed by tetrazolium salts.) Ber. dtsch. Bot. Ges.,
60:299-305.
Lakon, G. 1942. Topographischer Nachweis der Keimfahigkeit von Mais durch tetrazoliumsalze.
(Topographical detection of the viability of corn by tetrazolium salts.) Ber. dtsch. Bot. Ges. 60:434-444.
Lakon, G. 1948. Die Feststellung der Keimfahigkeit der Samen nach dem Topographischen Tetrazolium-
Verfahren. (The establishment of seed viability by the topographical tetrazolium method.) Getreide,
Mehl u. Brot. 2:107-110.
Lakon, G. 1949. Biochemische Keimprufung nach dem Lakonschen, “Topographichen Tetrazolium-
Verfahren” zur Feststellung der Keimfahigkeit bzw. Keimportenz von Geitreide und Mais. (Biochemical
germination test according to Lakon's “topographical tetrazolium method” for the establishment of
viability or germination potential of cereals and corn.) Methodenbuch Band V. Die Untersuchung von
Saatgut. (H. Eggebrecht -- ed.). Neumann-Neumdamm. Hamburg. pp. 37-38 and Tables III-IV.
Lakon, G. 1949. Die Keimungenergie und ihre praktische Bedeutung. (Germination energy and its practical
signiicance.) Saatgutwirtsch 1:112-113.
Lakon, G. 1949. The topographical tetrazolium method for determining the germinating capacity of seeds.
Plant Physiol. 24:389-394.
