The comparison of electrical conductivity, imbibition and hiltner tests to predict seedling emergence of lentil in the field

Several tests have been introduced to determine the seed vigor, that one or some of them are suitable for each plant species. This study was conducted to compare electrical conductivity, imbibition and hiltner tests to determine the seed vigor in lentil. The research was done in two sections of laboratory and field at Razi University during 2015-16. In the field, eight lentil seed lots, which were different in terms of cultivar and age, were planted. In the laboratory, this eight lentil seed lots were compared by electrical conductivity, imbibition and hiltner tests. The results of the field experiment showed that the lentil seed lots were significantly different in percentage and rate of seedling emergence, mean daily emergence and mean time to emergence. The laboratory experiment showed that there were significant differences among seed lots in conductivity and hiltner tests, but were not in imbibition test. Orthogonal analysis in the conductivity and hiltner tests demonstrated that the new seed lots had higher vigor. Based on the correlation analysis, the conductivity and imbibition tests had no correlation with the seedling emergence characteristics in the field, but the normal seedling percentage in hiltner test had significant positive correlation with the percentage (r=0.630) and rate (r=0.498) of seedling emergence in the field. So, it seems that to predict seedling emergence in the field, conductivity and imbibition tests have inappropriate ability, but hiltner test has appropriate ability.