Assessment of viability of Jatropha curcas L. seeds using the tetrazolium test

Assessment of the potential viability of Jatropha curcas L. was done using the Triphenyl Tetrazolium Chloride (TZ) test, and the results correlated with actual viability evaluated by laboratory germination. Seeds were subjected to different incubation temperatures, soaking time and concentration of tetrazolium solution. Soaking of the pre-moistened seeds in 0.1%TZ solution at 30°C for six hours or 0.25%TZ at 40°C for four hours produced clear staining pattern and good colour intensity and may be appropriate conditions for TZ testing in Jatropha. Seeds which are either completely and uniformly stained or were uniformly stained except for minor unstained areas on the cotyledons were considered viable. For these seeds there was a strong correlation with the laboratory germination of five seed lots.