A study was carried out to set up the methodology of the relative growth rate of seedlings to evaluate soybean seed vigor. Soybean seeds of ten commercial seed lots were evaluated by the following tests: field emergence, germination (first and final count), accelerated aging, cold, tetrazolium (1-3 and 1-5), electrical conductivity, seedling length, dry biomass and relative growth rate of seedlings. The experimental design used was the completely randomized block with four replications. The results were submitted to variance and correlation analysis. The average results were compared by means of the Scott-Knott grouping test. The relative growth rate of seedlings showed significant correlation (p < 0.01) with all the evaluated seed vigor tests and was considered satisfactory in evaluating soybean seed vigor.
soybean; seeds; vigor; relative growth rate
