Assessment of Cucumber Seed Physiological Potential by An Automated Computer Imaging System (SVISŪ) Compared to Traditional Procedures.

The efficiency of an automated computer imaging system (Seedling Vigor Imaging System - SVIS^®) was compared to other accepted procedures for the assessment of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seed vigor. Four seed lots each of two cultivars (‘Supremo’ and ‘Safira’) were subjected to germination, first count, accelerated aging (traditional and saturated salt), seedling length and greenhouse seedling emergence tests. Results were compared to those provided by scanning three and four-day-old seedlings followed by image processing and analyses by the software Seedling Vigor Imaging System (SVIS^®) that automatically calculated indices of seedling vigor and uniformity of growth as well as primary root, hypocotyl and seedling lengths. The tests were performed at three evaluation times, with a three month interval. It was also studied to what extent the proportion seedling growth/uniformity influences the values of the vigor index calculated by the software. Results from seedling digital image analysis provided consistent identification of the seed lots performance producing comparable information to those from seed vigor tests, thus demonstrating the desirable sensitivity for a rapid and objective evaluation of cucumber seed physiological potential. Analyses by SVIS ^® of four-day old seedlings are more accurate and the proportion growth/uniformity in the composition of the vigor index does not affect the information provided by SVIS^® from cucumber seedling evaluation.