SEED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, vol.33, no.2, pp.481-484, 2005 (SCI-Expanded)
The seed vigour of four aubergine (Solanum melongena L.) seed lots was assessed by the cold, conductivity and controlled deterioration tests and compared with seedling emergence in an unheated glasshouse. Germinations of aubergine seeds after controlled deterioration (CD) for 24 (range 35 to 69%), 48 (41 to 83%) and 72 hours (46 to 81%) at 45'C at 20% moisture were positively and significantly related to seedling emergence, the lots being ranked consistently the same for all durations of CD and glasshouse emergence (63 to 93%). CD germination was more closely related to glasshouse emergence after 24 (R-2=0.921, P < 0.05), 48 (R-2=0.915, P < 0.05) and 72 hours (R-2=0.0.931, P < 0.05) compared to the standard germination (range 87 to 94%), (R-2=0.177), cold (R-2=0.879) and conductivity (R-2=0.591) results (P > 0.05). The CD test is suggested as method for predicting emergence in aubergine which should be further developed.