This research was conducted with the main objective of studying the efficiency of the different vigor tests to evaluate the physiological quality of gherkin seed lots and also to determine the possibility of reduction of the imbibition period prior to the electrical conductivity readings. Five seed lots were submited to germination, accelerated aging, cold test, seedling emergence and electrical conductivity tests. The imbibition periods adopted for the electrical conductivity test were 02, 04, 08, 12, 16, 20 and 24 hours. Results indicated that the accelerated aging and conductivity electrical tests were efficient to detect different vigor levels of gherkin seed lots. It was also possible to reduce the imbibition period of seeds prior the electrical conductivity test. This procedure represents an improvement to the procedure routinely adopted for the electrical conductivity test.