With the objective of determining the ideal period for evaluation of the vigor of okra crop
seeds through the test of accelerated aging, five lots of seeds were analyzed. The seeds were submitted
to an atmosphere (stove incubator for BOD) with temperature of 41ºC and relative humidity of,
approximately, 100% for periods of 48, 96, 144, 192, 240 and 288 hours. Elapsed these periods, the seeds
were placed to germinate to the alternated temperature of 20-30ºC, being used as substratum sand and
eight hours of light in the largest temperature. The works were accomplished in the Laboratory
of Analysis of Seeds and in an experimental field of Embrapa Semi-Árido, in Petrolina-PE, in the
period of July to September of 1996, in a complete randomized design with four replications per lot. The
period of 144 hours of accelerated aging facilitated the best identification of the lots with different vigor
levels.