The work, developed in the Universidade Federal de Lavras Seed Analysis
laboratory, aimed to verify the possibility of the utilization of the electric conductivity test for
determination of the pepper seeds? viability. The cultivars Cascadura Ikeda, Cascadura Itaipu,
Hércules, Yolo Wonder and All Big produced in the 1998 crop and the cultivars California Wonder
and Cascadura Ikeda Seleção of the 1997 and 1996 crop, respectively were utilized. The electric
conductivity test was accomplished by the mass method, with and without previous imbebition of
seeds, and the conditioning periods investigated were of six, 12, 18 and 24 hours. The physiological
quality of the seeds was evaluated by the germination test, by the index of velocity and average
time for occurrence of 50% of root protrusion and normal seedlings and by the controlled
deterioration test. There are restrictions to the use of the electric conductivity test for comparing
different pepper cultivars, since conductivity ranges in terms of the genotype. The electric
conductivity test with six to 24 hours of soaking, without and with previous imbebition of seeds
did not allow the separation of lots of different pepper cultivars in a way similar to the test
determining the physiological quality of seeds.