Hostname: page-component-669899f699-vbsjw Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-04-28T02:36:02.020Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Biochemical and cytological studies on osmoprimed maize seeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

Felipe Cruz García ,
Luis F. Jiménez  and
Jorge M. Vázquez-Ramos
Felipe Cruz García
Affiliation:
Departamento de Bioquímica Vegetal, Facultad de Química, UNAM
Luis F. Jiménez
Affiliation:
Laboratorio de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM. Ave. Universidad y Copilco, México D.F. 04510, México
Jorge M. Vázquez-Ramos*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Bioquímica Vegetal, Facultad de Química, UNAM
*
*Correspondence
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The conditions of osmopriming of maize seeds have been established. At an osmotic potential of–1.7 MPa, seed germination is inhibited and seeds osmoprimed for up to 3 weeks show an improved germinability when the osmotic agent is removed. This improvement also applies to seeds that lost vigour because of improper storage conditions. At the biochemical level, embryo axes from osmoprimed seeds can incorporate precursors into DNA, RNA and proteins although at a low level; after removing the osmotic agent, all 3 types of macromolecules are synthesized at much higher levels. No evidence of DNA replication or cell division was found during osmopriming; however, mitotic figures appear several hours earlier in germinated, osmoprimed root tissues compared with the time at which they appear in non-osmoprimed tissues. The behaviour of osmoprimed maize is compared with that of osmoprimed seeds from other plant species.

Keywords

maize osmoprimingDNA synthesiscell division
Type
Research Papers
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 5 , Issue 1 , March 1995 , pp. 15 - 23
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Ashraf, M. and Bray, C.M. (1993) DNA synthesis in osmoprimed leek (Allium porrum L.) seeds and evidence for repair and replication. Seed Science Research 3, 15–23.Google Scholar
Avanzi, S., Brunori, A., Nuti-Ronchi, V. and Scaracia-Mugnozza, G.T. (1965) Occurrence of 2C (G1) and 4C (G2) nuclei in the radicle meristems of dry seeds in Triticum durum. Its implication in studies on chromosome breakage and developmental processes. Atti Associazione Genetica Italiana 9, 98–99.Google Scholar
Bino, R.J., De Vries, J.M., Kraak, H.L. and Van Pijlen, J.G (1992) Flow cytometric determination of nuclear replication stages in tomato seeds during priming and germination. Annals of Botany 69, 231–236.Google Scholar
Bradford, K.J. (1986) Manipulation of seed water relations via osmotic priming to improve germination under stress conditions. HortScience 59, 672–676.Google Scholar
Bray, C.M., Davison, P.A., Ashraf, M. and Taylor, R.M. (1989) Biochemical changes during osmopriming of leek seeds. Annals of Botany 63, 185–193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke, A.N. and James, P.E. (1991) The effects of priming and accelerated ageing upon the nucleic acid content of leek seeds and their embryos. Journal of Experimental Botany 42, 261–268.Google Scholar
Coolbear, P. and Grierson, D. (1979) Studies on the changes in the major nucleic acid components of tomato seeds (Lycopersicum esculentum) Mill resulting from osmotic presowing treatment. Journal of Experimental Botany 30, 1153–1162.Google Scholar
Coolbear, P., Slater, R.J. and Bryant, J.A. (1990) Changes in nucleic acid levels associated with improved germination performance of tomato seeds after low temperature presowing treatment. Annals of Botany 65, 187–195.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Conger, V.V. and Carabia, J.V. (1976) Microspectro-photometric determination of the 2C and 4C nuclear complement in the root and shoot of the dormant maize embryo. Environmental and Experimental Botany 16, 171–175.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davison, P.A. and Bray, C.M. (1991) Protein synthesis during osmopriming of leek (Allium porrum L.) seeds Seed Science Research 1, 29–35.Google Scholar
Dell'Aquila, A. (1992) Water uptake and protein synthesis in germinating wheat embryos under the osmotic stress of polyethylene glycol. Annals of Botany 69, 167–171.Google Scholar
Dell'Aquila, A. and Spada, P. (1992) Regulation of protein synthesis in germinating wheat embryos under polyethylene glycol and salt stress. Seed Science Research 2, 75–80.Google Scholar
Heydecker, W. and Coolbear, P. (1977) Seed treatments for improved performance–survey and attempted prognosis. Seed Science and Technology 5, 353–425.Google Scholar
Gutiérrez, G., Cruz, F., Moreno, J., González-Hernández, V.A. and Vázquez-Ramos, J.M. (1993) Natural and artificial seed ageing in maize: germination and DNA synthesis. Seed Science Research 3, 279–285.Google Scholar
Lanteri, S., Saracco, F., Kraak, H.L. and Bino, R.J. (1994) The effects of priming on nuclear replication activity and germination of pepper (Capsicum annuum) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) seeds. Seed Science Research 4, 81–87.Google Scholar
Lanteri, S., Kraak, H.L., Ric De Vos, C.H. and Bino, R.J. (1993) Effects of osmotic preconditioning on nuclear replication activity in seeds of pepper (Capsicum annuum). Physiologia Plantarum 89, 433–440.Google Scholar
MacDonald, M.B. and Phaneendranath, B.R. (1978) A modified accelerated ageing seed vigor test for soybeans. Journal of Seed Technology 3, 27–37.Google Scholar
Maguire, J.D. (1977) Seed quality and germination. p 447 in Khan, A.A. (Ed.). The physiology and biochemistry of seed dormancy and germination. New York, North-Holland Biomedical.Google Scholar
Michel, B.E. and Kaufmann, M.K. (1973) The osmotic potential of polyethylene glycol 6000. Plant Physiology 51, 914–916.Google Scholar
Schatt, E., Landré, P. and Nougarede, A. (1985) État nucleaire des meristemes du pois dans la graine seche; imbibition et reprise du cycle cellulaire. Canadian Journal of Botany 2200–2208.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vázquez-Ramos, J.M., López, S., Vázquez, E. and Murillo, E. (1988) DNA integrity and DNA polymerase activity in deteriorated maize embryo axes. Journal of Plant Physiology 133, 600–604.CrossRefGoogle Scholar