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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
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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

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