Otimização do teste de tetrazólio em arroz para fenotipagem de precisão e diagnóstico rápido da qualidade e desempenho pós-colheita

Abstract

The rapid and accurate assessment of seed physiological quality is essential for rice production and seed quality control programs. This study evaluated the efficiency of the tetrazolium test in determining the viability of rice seeds (Oryza sativa L.) cv. BRS A502, aiming to establish an optimized methodology for the species. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design using a 2 × 3 + 1 factorial scheme, with two concentrations of 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (0.05% and 0.075%) and three staining periods (1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 h), in addition to the standard germination test as control. Seeds were previously hydrated for 16 h and subsequently evaluated for viability after staining. The results showed high agreement between the tetrazolium and germination tests, with viability close to 99% in most treatments. The combination of 0.075% tetrazolium solution for 1.5 h provided better definition of embryonic tissues and greater efficiency in distinguishing viable from non-viable seeds. The tetrazolium test proved to be a rapid, reliable, and efficient tool for assessing the viability of rice seeds cv. BRS A502, representing a promising alternative for physiological characterization of seed lots and decision-making in seed quality programs.