Influence of Glycine max (L.) Merrill seed quality on crop establishing and overcoming of ambiental stress

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of osmotic conditioning on seed physiological quality, in stress ambiental conditions at seeding and harvesting. Seeds of the cultivars Bragg and Asgrow 7372 (manual and mechanic harvest) were primed between papers with PEG and destilled water, and also pulverized with destilled water. The germination and vigor of seeds pulverized with water, after four months of storage, were superior to those submitted to other treatments. The initial quality of seeds was a determinam factor to maintain their germination and vigor during storage. Seeds deteriorated naturally and/or by mechanical injury did not respond to the treatments when their germination and vigor were inferior to 60%, and only the lots of intermediate quality showed responsiveness. In conditions of field emergency, the seeds were strongly influenced by age and mechanical damage.