Bean seeds, cv. IAC-carioca, of seven different lots were used in the accomplishment of several tests preliminaries for characterization of the physiological seed quality. Later were selected three lots with the objective of studying the effect of the readiness hidric of the substratum on the physiologic quality of bean seeds. The seeds of the lots of Votuporanga, Ribeirão Preto and Monte Alegre do Sul it were placed to germinate under conditions of different levels of water in rolls of paper towel, being used manitol solutions to simulate conditions of deficiency hidric, using the osmotic potentials of -0.001; -0.01; -0.2; -0.4 and -0.6MPa. They took place the first and the last count, respectively in the fifth and in the ninth day after seeded. The appraised parameters were: germination percentage, germination speed, first counting of the germination test, weight of a thousand seeds, accelerated aging, electric conductivity, hypocotyle length, radycle length, weight of dry matter of the seedlings and percentage of abnormal seedlings. An arrangement fatorial 3x5 was adopted (three lots x five levels of water), with four repetitions of 50 seeds. The analysis of
the data and interpretation of the results allowed the following conclusions: potential hidric of the substratum of -0.4 and -0.6MPa causes sensitive reduction in the germination percentage, first germination counting, germination speed, hipocotyle and radycle length, weight of dry matter of the seedlings and increase of the percentage of abnormal seedlings. Relationship exists between the physiologic quality of the lots and its acting in the several hidric potential. The lot of Monte Alegre do Sul it stood out of the others, presenting the best results in whole the appraised variables.