Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T06:00:04.377Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Water sorption properties in Coffea spp. seeds and embryos

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2007

Mirian T.S. Eira ,
Christina Walters  and
Linda S. Caldas
Mirian T.S. Eira
Affiliation:
EMBRAPA Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, P. O. Box 02372, Brasília, DF, Brasil
Christina Walters*
Affiliation:
USDA-ARS, National Seed Storage Laboratory, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Linda S. Caldas
Affiliation:
Universidade de Brasília, Departamento de Botânica, Brasília, DF, Brasil
*
* Correspondence Tel: 970-495-3202 Fax: 970-221-1427 Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The relationships among water content, relative humidity and temperature were documented in both seeds and excised embryos of Coffea spp. using water sorption isotherms. Isotherms were constructed at 5, 15 and 25°C and calculated for lower temperatures. There were no apparent differences in sorption characteristics among whole seeds of several cultivars of C. arabica and among different species of Coffea. Excised embryos of genetically diverse Coffea germplasm also exhibited similar sorption characteristics, though there were substantial differences observed between embryos and whole seeds. The shape of isotherms of coffee seed tissues was intermediate to the reverse sigmoidal shape observed for orthodox seeds and the monotonic shape observed for desiccation intolerant plant tissues. The heats of sorption calculated for RH ≤ 25% for whole seeds of Coffea spp. were similar to orthodox seeds. In contrast, the heats of sorption calculated in the same RH range for excised embryos were intermediate between those of orthodox and recalcitrant embryos. Our observations are consistent with earlier observations that desiccation sensitivity or poor longevity is linked with low levels of water sorption at relative humidities less than 25%. An explanation for this remains elusive.

Keywords

Coffeacoffeedesiccation toleranceembryoequilibriumgermplasmglassorthodoxrecalcitrantrelative humidityseedseed storagetemperaturewater contentwater sorption isotherms
Type
Research Article
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 9 , Issue 4 , April 1999 , pp. 321 - 330
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1999

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

Bligh, E.G. and Dyer, W.J. (1959) A rapid method of total lipid extraction and purification. Canadian Journal of Biochemistry 37, 911–917.Google ScholarPubMed
Buitink, J., Walters-Vertucci, C., Hoekstra, F.A. and Leprince, O. (1996) Calorimetric properties of dehydrating pollen: analysis of a desiccation-tolerant and an intolerant species. Plant Physiology 111, 235–242.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buitink, J., Walters, C., Hoekstra, F.A. and Crane, J. (1998a) Storage behaviour of Typha latifolia pollen at low water contents: interpretation on the basis of water activity and glass concepts. Physiologia Plantarum 103, 145–153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buitink, J., Claessens, M.M.A.E., Hemminga, M.A. and Hoekstra, F.A. (1998b) Influence of water content and temperature on molecular mobility and intracellular glasses in seeds and pollen. Plant Physiology 118, 531–541.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cromarty, A.S., Ellis, R.H. and Roberts, E.H. (1985) The design of seed storage facilities for genetic conservation. Rome, International Board of Plant Genetic Resources.Google Scholar
Dussert, S., Chabrillange, N., Engelmann, F., Anthony, F., Louarn, J. and Hamon, S. (1998) Cryopreservation of seeds of four coffee species (Coffea arabica, C. costatifructa, C. racemosa and C. sessiliflora): importance of water content and cooling rate. Seed Science Research 8, 9–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dussert, S., Chabrillange, N., Engelmann, F. and Hamon, S. (1999) Quantitative estimation of seed desiccation sensitivity using a quantal response model: application to nine species of the genus Coffea L. Seed Science Research 9, 135–144.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eira, M.T.S., Walters, C. and Caldas, L.S. (1999a) Critical water content for desiccation damage in coffee seeds: a role for aqueous glasses? p. 105in Proceedings from the VI international workshop of seed biology, January 1999. Merida, Mexico.Google Scholar
Eira, M.T.S., Walters, C., Caldas, L.S., Fazuoli, L.C., Sampaio, J.B. and Dias, M.C.L.L. (1999b) Tolerance of Coffea spp. seeds to desiccation and low temperature. Revista Brasileira de Fisiologia Vegetal 11, 97–105.Google Scholar
Ellis, R.H., Hong, T.D. and Roberts, E.H. (1990) An intermediate category of seed storage behaviour? I. Coffee. Journal of Experimental Botany 41, 1167–1174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellis, R.H., Hong, T.D. and Roberts, E.H. (1991) An intermediate category of seed storage behaviour? II. Effects of provenance, immaturity and imbibition on desiccation-tolerance in coffee. Journal of Experimental Botany 42, 653–657.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fonseca, H. and Gutierrez, L.E. (1971) Estudo do teor e composição do óleo de algumas variedades de café (Coffea arabica L). Anais da ESALQ XXVIII, 313–322.Google Scholar
Franks, F. (1998) Water activity: bad habits die hard. Cryoletters 19, 197–198.Google Scholar
Hong, T.D. and Ellis, R.H. (1995) Interspecific variation in seed storage behaviour within two genera - Coffea and Citrus. Seed Science and Technology 23, 165–181.Google Scholar
Justice, O.L. and Bass, L.N. (1978) Principles and practices of seed storage. Agriculture Handbook no. 506. Washington, DC, US Government Printing Office.Google Scholar
King, M.W. and Roberts, E.H. (1979) The storage of recalcitrant seeds - achievements and possible approaches. Rome, International Board of Plant Genetic Resources.Google Scholar
Leopold, A.C. and Vertucci, C.W. (1986) Physical attributes of desiccated seeds. pp 22–34in Leopold, A.C. (Ed) Membranes, metabolism and dry organisms, Ithaca, NY, Cornell University Press.Google Scholar
Leopold, A.C., Sun, W.Q. and Bernal-Lugo, I. (1994) The glassy state in seeds: analysis and function. Seed Science Research 4, 267–274.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oksanen, C.A. and Zografi, G. (1990) The relationship between the glass transition temperature and water vapor absorption by poly(vinylpyrrolidone). Pharmaceutical Research 7, 654–657.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pinto, M.R.G. (1961) Observações preliminares sobre a porcentaem de óleo nas sementes de variedades e progônies selecionadas de café. Bragantia 20, 579–589.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Poulsen, K.M. and Eriksen, E.N. (1992) Physiological aspects of recalcitrance in embryonic axes of Quercus robur L. Seed Science Research 2, 215–221.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Priestley, D.A. (1986) Seed aging: implications for seed storage and persistence in soil. Ithaca, NY, Cornell University Press.Google Scholar
Pritchard, H.W. (1991) Water potential and embryonic axis viability in recalcitrant seeds of Quercus rubra. Annals of Botany 67, 43–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nelson, K.A. and Labuza, T.P. (1994) Water activity and food polymer science: implications of state on Arrhenius and WLF models in predicting shelf life. Journal of Food Engineering 22, 271–289.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, E.H. (1972) Storage environment and the control of viability. pp. 14–58in Roberts, E.H. (Ed.) Viability of seeds. London, Chapman and Hall Ltd.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, E.H. and Ellis, R.H. (1989) Water and seed survival. Annals of Botany 63, 39–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simmonds, N.W. (1979) Genetic conservation: an introductory discussion of needs and principles. pp. 1–11in Seed technology for genebanks. Rome, International Board for Plant Genetic Resources.Google Scholar
Slade, L. and Levine, H. (1991) Beyond water activity: recent advances based on an alternative approach to the assessment of food quality and safety. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 30, 115–360.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sun, W.Q. (1997) Function of the glassy state in seed storage stability. pp. 169–179in Taylor, A.G.; Huang, X-L. (Eds) Progress in seed research: proceedings of the second international conference on seed science and technology. Geneva, New York, Communication Services, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station.Google Scholar
Sun, W.Q., Koh, D.C.Y. and Ong, C.M. (1997) Correlation of modified water sorption properties with the decline of storage stability of osmotically-primed seeds of Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek. Seed Science Research 7, 391–397.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tango, J.S. and Carvalho, A. (1963) Teor de óleo e de cafeína em variedades de café. Bragantia 22, 793–798.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vertucci, C.W. and Leopold, A.C. (1987a) Water binding in legume seeds. Plant Physiology 85, 224–231.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vertucci, C.W. and Leopold, A.C. (1987b) The relationship between water binding and desiccation tolerance in tissues. Plant Physiology 85, 232–238.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vertucci, C.W. and Roos, E.E. (1990) Theoretical basis of protocols for seed storage. Plant Physiology 94, 1019–1023.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vertucci, C.W. and Roos, E.E. (1993) Theoretical basis of protocols for seed storage. II. The influence of temperature on optimal moisture levels. Seed Science Research 3, 201–213.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vertucci, C.W., Crane, J., Porter, R.A. and Oelke, E.A. (1994) Physical properties of water in Zizania embryos in relation of maturity status, water content and temperature. Seed Science Research 4, 211–224.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walters, C. (1998a) Understanding the mechanisms and kinetics of seed aging. Seed Science Research 8, 223–244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walters, C. (1998b) “Water activity: Bad habits die hard” A response. Cryo-Letters 19, 265–266.Google Scholar
Walters, C. and Engels, J. (1998) The effects of storing seeds under extremely dry conditions. Seed Science Research 8, Supplement 1, 3–8.Google Scholar
Williams, R.J., Hirsh, A.G., Takahashi, T.A. and Meryman, H.T. (1993) What is vitrification and how can it extend life? Japanese Journal of Freezing and Drying 39, 1–10.Google Scholar