LERCAFE test for the assessment of coffee seed quality during storage

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the use of the LERCAFE test for estimating germination and characterizing deterioration of coffee seeds during storage. The experiment was conducted at the Seed Research Laboratory of the Federal University of Vicosa. Seeds of Arabic coffee. with 33, 28. 23, 18 and 13% moisture (wet basis) were stored in waterproof bags at 20 +/- 3 degrees C. Seeds were assessed by the germination and LERCAFE tests. The tests were carried out at 4 storage times; zero. two, four and six months. There was decrease in germination during the storage for all the studied moisture contents. The LERCAFE test had larger percentages of seeds with clear endosperm when evaluated before storage (high germinative capacity) and larger percentages of seeds with dark endosperm (brown or black) at the six months of storage (low germinative capacity). Germination estimates by the LERCAFE test had high correlation With the results of the germination test. The LERCAFE test was shown to be efficient to estimate germination of coffee seeds during storage, as well as to characterize deterioration caused by the natural of seeds.