The relationship between seed vigour tests and field emergence in lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus)

Two experiments were conducted in Sudan (1992) and Syria (1993) to investigate the relationship between various seed vigour tests and their associations with field emergence in lentil. The laboratory tests included physical, physiological and biochemical tests. Simple correlation coefficients were used to determine the best single vigour tests for estimating field emergence. In 1992, the three single vigour tests that provided the best correlation with field emergence in both clay and silty loam soils were speed of germination (r = 0.931*9*; 971**), seedling dry weight (r = 0.929**; 0.897**), and electrical conductivity (r = -0.832*; -0.935**). Standard germination was significantly correlated (r = 0.811*) with field emergence only in the more favourable silty loam soil. In the 1993 experiment, no significant correlation was observed between laboratory tests and field emergence, except for the standard germination test (r = 0.555*). The results showed that electrical conductivity was the only vigour test that significantly correlated with standard germination (r = -0.501*). As a conclusion, the only laboratory test proved to be useful in predicting field emergence in lentil was the standard germination test.