The aim of the study was to identify the squash seed analysis variables that major predict the plants emergency of this culture. The research was carried out at the Crop Science Department in the Federal University of Santa Maria. Three lots of squash seeds of each cultivars 'Caserta', 'De Tronco', 'Caravela' and 'Menina Brasileira' were utilized. It was determine de normal seedlings percentage of the germination test, first counting of germination, accelerated aging test, sub optimum temperature test, cold test, root dry mass, hypocotil dry mass and seedlings total dry mass, root length, hypocotil length, seedlings total length, seedlings emergency, emergency speed index and hypocotil length at emergency. The seedlings variables were analyzed through the path analysis and the tests variable through the stepwise multiple regression, considering the seedlings emergency to the seven days as variable main. The data were also submitted to the factors analysis. The sub optimum temperature test was the better seedlings emergency estimator of this culture, for all the cultivars available.
path analysis; stepwise; factor analysis; seed quality
