The controlled deterioration test has frequently been used to evaluate the vigour of several species and could be an alternative for evaluation of the vigour in bean seeds. However, the conditions for the accomplishment of this test are not still completely defined. Due to this the objective of the present study was to determine the conditions more adapted for the conduction of the controlled deterioration test in bean seeds compare its efficiency with the accelerated ageing test. Five lots of bean seeds were used with different physiological qualities. The initial quality of each seed lot was evaluated by: germination test, first germination count, ageing accelerated test, electric conductivity and field emergence. The initial moisture of the seeds was established to be 15, 20 and 25% and for each initial moisture content, there were four combinations of deterioration period of 24 and 48 hours and deterioration temperature of 40 and 45°C. The results allowed the conclusion that seeds with 20% initial moisture, for 48 hours under temperature of 45ºC presented high correlation with the accelerated ageing test.
vigour; Phaseolus vulgaris; physiologic quality
