Electrical conductivity test and soaking of chickpea seeds

The germination process begins with the imbibition, during the available water, which triggers a sequence of metabolic changes that culminate in the protrusion of the primary root into viable seeds. By the organization of the cell membrane system, a method that can indicate the level of seed vigor is the conductivity. The objective of this study was to evaluate and model the process of imbibition of chickpea seeds, in addition to establishing an efficient methodology for water volume, imbibition time and number of seeds in the electric conductivity test. Eight lots were used, four of the BRS Aleppo cultivar and four of the Cicero cultivar, which were submitted to the germination and vigor test for initial characterization. The electrical conductivity was conducted with 50 and 75 seed subsamples using 75 and 100 mL of deionized water, and the periods 2, 4, 8, 12, 18, 24 and 30 h were maintained at 25 degrees C. The experiment of electrical conductivity was in a completely randomized design with four replicates. The Peleg model was adjusted for imbibition kinetics. The most appropriate methodology was the use of 75 seeds, volume of 100 mL of water for 30 h. The Peleg model was efficient in describing the process of water absorption, although there were differences in the physiological potential of the lots.