The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency of the accelerated aging and controlled deterioration tests to identify the physiological quality of B. brizantha seeds during storage. Three lots of seeds not scarified and scarified with H2SO4 were used. The seeds of each lot were stored in ambient conditions in the Seed Laboratory of DFT/UFV from December 1999 to August 2000. The seeds were then submitted to the standard germination test, accelerated aging at 43ºC/48h and 60h at 100% and 76% RH, controlled deterioration at 45ºC/24h on seeds with 20 and 24% moisture content. The evaluations were performed before storage and at 60 days, during 240 days. The accelerated aging at 43ºC and 100% RH for 48 hours was the most efficient procedure to monitor the behavior of B. brizantha seeds during storage.
vigor; conservation; brachiaria
