Use of quantitative colorimetry and visual evaluation for color characterization of triticale seeds after phenol reaction

2Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), Departamento de Agronomia, Caixa Postal 10.011, 86057-970 – Londrina, PR, Brasil. Uso de colorimetria quantitativa e avaliação visual para caracterização de cor de sementes de triticale após reação ao fenol ABSTRACT: Quantitative colorimetry can be used to characterize the color of triticale seeds submitted to the phenol test. This study aimed to characterize the color of triticale seeds after the phenol test by visual color evaluation and quantitative colorimetry using the CIELAB color space. The evaluated seeds came from 88 triticale genotypes from the IDR-Paraná Germplasm Bank. The colorimetric data for L (lightness) and chromaticity coordinates a* and b* of the seeds before and after phenol reaction were obtained using a Minolta CR400 colorimeter. The score scale ranged from 1 (very weak or absent color) to 9 (very dark color) and evaluated visually the seed color after phenol reaction. Seeds classified as score 1 showed mean values of 46.3, 6.6, and 16.4 for L, a*, and b*, respectively. On the other hand, seeds classified as dark or very dark showed values equal to or lower than 28.4 for L, 5.6 for chromaticity a*, and 6.0 for chromaticity b*. The use of colorimetric parameters showed a practical application and low subjectivity in the classification of the color of triticale seeds after phenol reaction.