INTERNATİONAL JOURNAL OF AGRİCULTURE & BİOLOGY ISSN Print: 1560–8530; ISSN Online: 1814–9596 16–251/2016/18–5–1075–1080 DOI: 10.17957/IJAB/15.0211 http://www.fspublishers.org Full Length Article To cite this paper: Kaya, M.D., E.G. Kulan, H. Dağhan, O. İleri and S. Avcı, 2016. Efficiency of vigor tests and seed elemental concentrations to estimate field emergence in soybean (Glycine max). Int. J. Agric. Biol., 18: 1075‒1080 Efficiency of Vigor Tests and Seed Elemental Concentrations to Estimate Field Emergence in Soybean (Glycine max) Mehmet Demir Kaya 1* , Engin Gökhan Kulan 1 , Hatice Dağhan 2 , Onur İleri 1 and Süleyman Avcı 1 1 Department of Field Crops, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir, Turkey 2 Department of Soil Sciences and Plant Nutrition, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir, Turkey * For correspondence: demirkaya76@hotmail.com Abstract The relationship between seed vigor test and seedling emergence is crucial to predict easily the seed performance under field conditions and the seed producers continuously explore the best vigor test to enhance stand establishment. This study was conducted to determine the suitable seed vigor test and mineral element in the seed to predict accurately the field performance of soybean. Fifty seed lots of 22 commercial soybean cultivars were assessed for seedling emergence under field conditions and germination, emergence, cool and cold tests, electrical conductivity (EC) and pH for 4, 8 and 24 h, accelerated ageing (AA) at 41, 43 and 45°C for 48, 72, 96, 120 and 144 h in the laboratory. Initial seed weight, oil, protein, P, K, Ca, Fe, Mn and Zn concentration in seed lots were also investigated. Their results were correlated with field emergence percentage of seed lots to detect the most suitable indicator for vigorous seed lot. The germination percentage varied from 56% to 100%, while the field emergence percentage ranged between 0% and 84%. No significant correlation was noticed between field emergence and seed weight, oil and protein contents. AA test at 41°C for 72 h gave the highest significantly positive correlation with r=0.831**, but the highest significant and negative correlation coefficient (r=-0.801**) with field emergence percentage were observed in EC test for 24 h. Only Mn concentration of six elements investigated was significantly correlated with field emergence (r=-0.376*). It was concluded that the AA condition of 72 h at 41°C are recommended as an ideal seed vigor test to estimate closely field emergence performance of soybean seeds. © 2016 Friends Science Publishers Keywords: Glycine max L.; Germination; Seedling emergence; Accelerated ageing; Seed quality Introduction Soybean (Glycine max L.) is an economically important protein rich oilseed crop with variety of uses, including wide use in poultry industry of Turkey. Its production is supported by the Turkish government to avoid import of soybean for local uses (Kolsarıcı et al., 2015; TUIK, 2016). It has been extensively cultivated as a main and second crop after winter wheat or barley in the Mediterranean region of Turkey (Çopur et al., 2009). The difference between planting dates lead to exposing the seeds to adverse environmental conditions, namely, water lodging, low temperature and crust formation in the main crop, or high soil temperature, drought and poor seedbed preparation in double-crop planting (Khaliliaqdam et al., 2013). For these reasons, the vigorous seed production is obligatory for regular germination, seedling emergence and a good stand establishment. Seed suppliers consider the standard germination test as an evidence of seed quality; that is conducted under optimal conditions in terms of temperature and moisture for germination. It doesn't completely estimate the seedling emergence performance because field conditions are rarely optimum for germination, which adversely affect the emergence and subsequent seedling growth (Hampton and TeKrony, 1995; Kolasinska et al., 2000; Khan et al., 2010). Tekrony and Egli (1977) reported the standard germination exhibited a significant correlation with field emergence of soybean only if favorable field conditions have been available while Makkawi et al. (1999) demonstrated the standard germination was the only test to be useful for predicting field emergence of lentil. Usha and Dadlani (2015) found that germination test was the worst test predicting field performance of soybean among the investigated vigor tests. Several seed vigor tests have been developed for better prediction of field performance of seed lots (Hampton and Coolbear, 1990; ISTA, 2002; Miloševic et al., 2010; Arif et al., 2014). Colete et al. (2004) and Vieira et al. (2004) reported that electrical conductivity (EC) may be efficient to determine seed vigor in soybean while Salinas et al. (2010) the minimum 19 hours must require for the stable EC results in soybean. Marcos-Filho et al. (2001) found the accelerated ageing and controlled deterioration tests could be used to select vigorous seed lots in soybean. Vieira et al. (2010) suggests that the cold test conducted between papers at