The objective was to determine the relationship between imbibition rata and germination percentage of seed of maize (
Zea mays
L.) treated and untreated with vitavax (Carboxin), French beans (
Phaseoulus vulgaris
L.) and pigeonpea (
Cajanum cajan
(L.) Mill). Two lots were weigthed with 10 seeds each one and they were subjected to different imbibition periods (1, 4, 8, 12 and 14 hours). Imbibition rate was calculated as: seed weight of imbibited seeds minus initial seed weight. One hundred seeds were taken from previous crops and placed on three towel papers and covered with one towel paper and then they were moistened to determine germination percentage of different imbibited seeds at different periods. The towel papers were rolled and placed on the germination cabinet at 25 ºC. Imbibition rate of treated corn, French bean and pigeon pea presented a quadratic behavior and the bigest rate ocurred at 8, 10 and 10 hours, respectively. The performance of untreated corn seeds was irregular. The seed germination of treated corn decreased as increased imbibition period, similar trend was presented by pigeon pea seed germination, while French bean germination decresed from 1 to 8 hours of imbibition, after that, the germination was increased. The seed germination of treated corn was very low (< 12%). There was not a relationship between imbibition rate and seed germination in the crops.