This research was aimed at determining the exposition period at low temperature in the modified cold germination test, to evaluate physiological potential of squash seed lots. Six seed lots of squash, variety Menina Brasileira (Cucurbita moschata Duch.), produced in 2003/2004, were submitted at different exposition times for the development of the cold test. The modified cold gernation test was carried out at 10°C of constant temperature, during exposition time of three, five, seven and nine days. A completely randomized desing was used to the cold test, 0 constituting a factorial 6x4, corresponding to the six seed lots and four exposition time (3, 5, 7, and 9 days), with four repetitions. The averages were compared by the Tukey test, at 5% of probability. The correlation test of Person (r) was used too. For the modified cold germination test, the period of three days was the most indicated to evaluate the physiological potential of squash seeds.
Cucurbita moschata Duch.; vigour tests; physiological potential
