Estimates of seed viability using the imbibed seed crush test, a method performed by applying pressure to imbibed seeds, were compared with estimates obtained from using the imbibed seed crush test supplemented with tetrazolium staining. The seeds of three weed species, giant foxtail, green foxtail, and yellow foxtail, were collected from three different crops and tested by each method. The results from the two approaches were strongly and significantly correlated. The imbibed seed crush test requires considerably less skill and time to perform and is a reasonable alternative to tetrazolium staining to test the seed viability of newly produced foxtail seeds.

Nomenclature: Tetrazolium, 2,3,5 triphenyl tetrazolium chloride; giant foxtail, Setaria faberi Herrm. SETFA; green foxtail, Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv. SETVI; yellow foxtail, Setaria glauca (L.) Beauv. SETLU.