ALTERNATIVE TETRAZOLIUM TEST METHODOLOGY FOR PINUS TAEDA L. SEED LOTS
Description
Rapid and accurate assessment of seed viability is essential for the production of high-quality forest seedlings. This study evaluated an alternative tetrazolium test protocol for determining the viability of Pinus taeda L. seeds and compared its performance with the standard germination test. Six seed lots were analyzed. Seeds were preconditioned by hydration for 24 hours, longitudinally sectioned, and immersed in a 0.5% 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) solution at 25 °C in the dark for 4 or 18 hours. Viability was determined based on tissue staining patterns. Analysis of variance showed no significant differences between staining periods, while significant differences in viability were observed among seed lots. Tukey’s test identified lots 2 and 4 as the most viable, with 99% and 97% viability, respectively. The use of 0.5% TTC for four hours proved to be an efficient and reliable method for evaluating the physiological quality of P. taeda seeds, providing faster results compared to the germination test.