With the aim at determining the physiological potential and germinative performance of soybean seeds, two lots were evaluated by germination, cold, accelerated aging, electrical conductivity tests and osmotic stress, at potentials 0.0 (control), -0.1, -0.2, -0.3, -0.4, -0.5, -0.6 and -0.7MPa. The experimental design used was completely randomized, with four replicates of 50 seeds, except to electrical conductivity, with two replicates of 50 seeds. Additionally, the germination under osmotic stress was submitted to regression analysis. The osmotic stress in polietileneglycol, in potential equal or smaller than -0.6MPa, is a promising procedure to evaluate the physiological potential of soybean seeds; decreasing values of osmotic stress reduce germination, while osmotic stress level nearby zero may cause seeds invigoration.
physiological potential; water stress; germination
