The potassium leachate test is based on the integrity of seed cellular membranes, and is considered a fast procedure to assess seed vigor. The present research was conducted at the Agronomic Institute - IAC and USP/ESALQ, Brazil, with the objective of establishing procedures for the potassium leachate test to assess peanut seed vigor. The physiological potential was characterized by germination (speed, first count and percentage), accelerated aging, field seedling emergence (speed and percentage). Seed moisture content was also determined. The potassium leachate test was carried out with samples of 25 and 50 seeds in six lots of the Runner IAC 886 cultivar, placed in plastic cups containing 75, 100 and 150 mL of distilled water at 25ºC. The evaluations were performed at 30 minute intervals up to 180 minutes. It was concluded that the potassium leachate test was efficient to discriminate seed peanut lots of high and low vigor, after 60 minutes of imbibition. The imbibition of 25-seed samples in 75 or 100mL water for 60 minutes was considered the best alternative for discriminating the seed lot vigor in a short period of time.
Arachis hypogaea; vigor; quality control; seeds analysis
