Soybean seeds imbibition in potassium phosphate solution

Abstract

The experiment was carried out to study the possibility to increase the phosphorus and potassium contents in soybean seeds (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) cv. EMBRAPA 66, using three methods of soaking (moist substrate, immersion and immersion under vacuum) and the KH₂PO₄ concentrations: 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM. The experimental design was a factorial (methods of soaking x KH₂PO₄ concentrations) replicated four times. Phosphorus and potassium contents, seed vigor and germination were determined just after soaking and after drying at room conditions. Soaking the seeds in immersion and immersion under vacuum resulted in 14% increase in the P concentration in the soybean seeds. The methods of soaking and KH₂PO₄ concentrations did not increase the K concentrations in the soybean seeds. Soaking the seeds in moist substrate caused less damage to their physiological quality. Drying the seeds accentuates the damages caused by the imbibition methodology.