Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T13:58:53.820Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Viability loss and free radical processes during desiccation of recalcitrant Avicennia marina seeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2007

Valerie Greggains ,
William E. Finch-Savage ,
Neil M. Atherton  and
Patricia Berjak
Valerie Greggains
Affiliation:
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
William E. Finch-Savage*
Affiliation:
Horticulture Research International, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF, UK
Neil M. Atherton
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
Patricia Berjak
Affiliation:
School of Life and Environmental Science, University of Natal, Durban, 4041, South Africa
*
*Correspondence FAX: +44 (0) 1789 472063 Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

At shedding, the moisture content (MC) of Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. propagules was 65% (fresh mass basis), and there was no significant difference in the MC of four tissues (hypocotyl, cotyledons, plumule and root primordia). Viability declined as the propagules were dried below 60% MC, so that only 40%of seeds were capable of germination at 54% MC. At 47% MC all the seeds had died. The four tissues dried at the same constant rate of 0.02 g water g dwt-1 h–1 throughout this range of MCs. There was no significant depletion of the free-radical-quenching mechanisms measured. In each tissue an organic free-radical was detected by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). In the plumule the amplitude of the signal increased by a further 50% at MCs where viability was lost, but there was no increase in the other tissues. There was a concurrent increase in the amount of tocopherol and the activity of superoxide dismutase in the plumule. Lipid peroxidation, assessed by the amount of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, also increased in advance of viability loss, suggesting that propagules were experiencing oxidative stress. However, lipid peroxidation decreased at 54–57% MC, where most seeds lost viability. The results presented are consistent with a propagule reacting to oxidative stress, but overtaken by more catastrophic physical damage.

Keywords

Avicennia marinarecalcitrant seedsfree radicalstocopherolsuperoxide dismutaseperoxidase
Type
Research Article
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 11 , Issue 3 , September 2001 , pp. 235 - 242
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Boubriak, I., Dini, M., Berjak, P. and Osborne, D.J. (2000) Desiccation and survival in the recalcitrant seeds of Avicennia marina: DNA replication, DNA repair and protein synthesis. Seed Science Research 10, 307–315.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bradford, M.M. (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein dye binding. Analytical Biochemistry 72, 248–254.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cakmak, I., Strbac, D. and Marschner, H. (1993) Activities of hydrogen peroxide-scavenging enzymes in germinating wheat seeds. Journal of Experimental Botany 44, 127–132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Calistru, C., McLean, M., Pammenter, N.W. and Berjak, P. (2000) The effects of mycofloral infection on the viability and ultrastructure of wet-stored recalcitrant seeds of Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. Seed Science Research 10, 341–353.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chaitanya, K.S.K. and Naithani, S.C. (1994) Role of superoxide, lipid peroxidation and superoxide dismutase in membrane perturbation during loss of viability in seed of Shorea robusta Gaertn. New Phytologist 126, 623–627.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chance, B. and Maehly, A.C. (1955) Assay of catalase and peroxidase. Methods in Enzymology 2, 746–775.Google Scholar
Chandel, K.P.S., Chaudhury, R., Radhamani, J. and Malik, S.K. (1995) Desiccation and freezing sensitivity in recalcitrant seeds of tea, cocoa and jackfruit. Annals of Botany 76, 443–450.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Côme, D. and Corbineau, F. (1996) Metabolic damage related to desiccation sensitivity. pp. 107–120in Ouédraogo, A.S.; Poulsen, K.; Stubsgaard, F. (Eds) Intermediate/recalcitrant tropical forest tree seeds. Rome, IPGRI.Google Scholar
Espindola, L.S., Noin, M., Corbineau, F. and Côme, D. (1994) Cellular and metabolic damage induced by desiccation in recalcitrant Araucaria angustifolia embryos. Seed Science Research 4, 193–201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farrant, J.M. and Walters, C. (1998) Ultrastructural and biophysical changes in developing embryos of Aesculus hippocastanum in relation to the acquisition of tolerance to drying. Physiologia Plantarum 104, 513–524.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farrant, J.M., Pammenter, N.W. and Berjak, P. (1988) Recalcitrance – a current assessment. Seed Science and Technology 16, 155–166.Google Scholar
Farrant, J.M., Pammenter, N.W. and Berjak, P. (1992) Development of the recalcitrant (homiohydrous) seeds of Avicennia marina: Anatomical, ultrastructural and biochemical events associated with development from histodifferentiation to maturation. Annals of Botany 70, 75–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farrant, J.M., Pammenter, N.W. and Berjak, P. (1993) Seed development in relation to desiccation tolerance: A comparison between desiccation-sensitive (recalcitrant) seeds of Avicennia marina and desiccation-tolerant types. Seed Science Research 3, 1–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farrant, J.M., Pammenter, N.W., Berjak, P., Farnsworth, E.J. and Vertucci, C.W. (1996) Presence of dehydrin-like proteins and levels of abscisic acid in recalcitrant (desiccation sensitive) seeds may be related to habitat. Seed Science Research 6, 175–182.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farrant, J.M., Pammenter, N.W., Berjak, P. and Walters, C. (1997) Subcellular organization and metabolic activity during the development of seeds that attain different levels of desiccation tolerance. Seed Science Research 7, 135–144.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Finch-Savage, W.E. (1992) Embryo water status and survival in the recalcitrant species Quercus robur L.: Evidence for a critical moisture content. Journal of Experimental Botany 43, 663–669.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Finch-Savage, W.E., Grange, R.I., Hendry, G.A.F. and Atherton, N.M. (1993) Embryo water status and loss of viability during desiccation in the recalcitrant species Quercus robur L. pp. 723–730in Côme, D.; Corbineau, F. (Eds) Fourth international workshop on seeds: basic and applied aspects of seed biology. Paris, AFSIS.Google Scholar
Finch-Savage, W.E., Blake, P.S. and Clay, H.A. (1996) Desiccation stress in recalcitrant Quercus robur L. seeds results in lipid peroxidation and increased synthesis of jasmonates and abscisic acid. Journal of Experimental Botany 47, 661–667.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Giannopolitis, C.N. and Reis, S.K. (1977) Superoxide dismutase. 1 Occurrence in higher plants. Plant Physiology 59, 309–314.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goodman, B.A. (1994) The involvement of oxygen-derived free radicals in plant-pathogen interactions. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 102B, 479–493.Google Scholar
Greggains, V. (1998) Free radical processes and viability loss in recalcitrant seeds. PhD Thesis, University of Sheffield, UK.Google Scholar
Greggains, V., Finch-Savage, W.E., Quick, W.P. and Atherton, N.M. (2000) Metabolism-induced free radical activity does not contribute significantly to loss of viability in moist-stored recalcitrant seeds of contrasting species. New Phytologist 148, 267–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heath, R.L. and Packer, L. (1968) Photo-peroxidation in isolated chloroplasts. 1. Kinetics and stoichiometry of fatty acid peroxidation. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 125, 189–198.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hendry, G.A.F. (1993) Oxygen, free radical processes and seed longevity. Seed Science Research 3, 141–153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hendry, G.A.F., Finch-Savage, W.E., Thorpe., P.C., Atherton, N.M., Buckland, S.M., Nilsson, K.A. and Seel, W.E. (1992) Free radical processes and loss of seed viability during desiccation in the recalcitrant species Quercus robur L. New Phytologist 122, 273–279.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hendry, G.A.F., Thorpe, P.C. and Merzlyak, M.N. (1993) Stress indicators: lipid peroxidation. pp. 154–156in Hendry, G.A.F; Grime, J.P. (Eds) Methods in comparative plant ecology. New York, Chapman and Hall.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ISTA (International Seed Testing Association) (1996) International rules for seed testing. Seed Science and Technology 24 (suppl.), 155–202, 271–273.Google Scholar
Kunert, K.J. and Ederer, M. (1985) Leaf aging and lipid peroxidation. The role of anti-oxidants vitamin C and E. Physiologia Plantarum 65, 85–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leprince, O., Deltour, R., Thorpe, P.C., Atherton, N.M. and Hendry, G.A.F. (1990) The role of free radicals and radical processing systems in loss of desiccation tolerance in germinating maize (Zea mays L.) New Phytologist 116, 573–580.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leprince, O., Hendry, G.A.F. and McKersie, B.D. (1993) The mechanisms of desiccation tolerance in developing seeds. Seed Science Research 3, 231–246.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leprince, O., Buitink, J. and Hoekstra, F.A. (1999) Axes and cotyledons of recalcitrant seeds of Castanea sativa Mill. exhibit contrasting responses of respiration to drying in relation to desiccation sensitivity. Journal of Experimental Botany 50, 1515–1524.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, C. and Sun, W.Q. (1999) Desiccation sensitivity and activities of free radical-scavenging enzymes in recalcitrant Theobroma cacao seeds. Seed Science Research 9, 209–217.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McMurray, C.H. and Blanchflower, W.J. (1979) Determination of tocopherol in animal feedstuffs using high performance liquid chromatography with spectro- fluorescence detection. Journal of Chromatography 176, 488–492.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pammenter, N.W. and Berjak, P. (1999) A review of recalcitrant seed physiology in relation to desiccationtolerance mechanisms. Seed Science Research 9, 13–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pammenter, N.W., Berjak, P., Farrant, J.M., Smith, M.T. and Ross, G. (1994) Why do stored hydrated recalcitrant seeds die? Seed Science Research 4, 187–191.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Puntarulo, S. (1994) Effect of oxidative stress during imbibition of soybean embryonic axes. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 102B, 279–286.Google Scholar
Simontacchi, M., Caro, A., Fraga, C.G. and Puntarulo, S. (1993) Oxidative stress affects α-tocopherol content in soybean embryonic axes upon imbibition and following germination. Plant Physiology 103, 949–953.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, M.T. and Berjak, P. (1995) Deteriorative changes associated with the loss of viability of stored desiccationtolerant and desiccation-sensitive seeds. pp. 701–746in Kigel, J.; Galili, G. (Eds) Seed development and germination. New York, Marcel Dekker.Google Scholar
Vertucci, C.W. and Farrant, J.M. (1995) Acquisition and loss of desiccation tolerance. pp. 237–271in Kigel, J.; Galili, G. (Eds) Seed development and germination. New York, Marcel Dekker.Google Scholar
Walters, C. (1999) Levels of recalcitrance in seeds. pp. 1–13in Marzalina, M.; Khoo, K.C.; Jayanthi, N.; Tsan, F.Y.; Krishnapillay, B. (Eds) Recalcitrant seeds. Proceedings of IUFRO seed symposium 1998. Kuala Lumpur, Forest Research Institute Malaysia.Google Scholar
Wood, C.B., Pritchard, H.W., Benson, E.E., Deighton, N., Goodman, B.A. and Bremner, D.H. (1997) The effects of hydrated storage on desiccation injury-associated oxidative stress in Aesculus hippocastanum L. seeds. pp. 57in Abstracts, second international workshop, desiccation tolerance and sensitivity of seeds and vegetative plant tissue, 6–11 January. Franschhoek, South Africa.Google Scholar