Improving Small Weed Seeds Viability Assessment Using Tetrazolium Test

Tetrazolium testing in small seeds demands difficult and longstanding procedures, such as the embryo exposure by seeds section and the seeds pre-preparation. This study aims to access the viability of small seeds using the Tetrazolium test (TZ) without seeds sectioning, resulting in quicker, cheaper and precise measurements. Non-sectioned seeds of Conyza sumatrensis, Bidens pilosa and Digitaria insularis were put in contact with the tetrazolium solution during 0, 12, 24, 48, 72, 144, 216, 288, 360, 432 and 504 h to obtain the seeds coloring percentage in each time. When possible, the seeds coloring percentages were compared to seeds viability, obtained by the literature standard tetrazolium methodology (STZ), and with seeds germination. The proposed methodology (TZM) was cheaper and less laborious than the methodologies frequently used for weed seeds viability estimation, and provided rapid and reliable seeds viability estimations for weed species with small seeds within 24 h for Digitaria insularis and Bidens pilosa, and 48 h for Conyza sumatrensis.