Abstract
Following harvest, peanuts are usually subjected to a period of storage. During storage biochemical changes are known to occur. The objectives of this study were to determine the changes and relationship in ethylene production, germination, and lipoxygenase (LG) activity during cold storage of dormant NC-13 peanut seeds. Two seed lots (SL) were used: one grown in Oklahoma (SL80) and the other grown in N. Carolina (SL81). SL80 and SL81 were stored at 2 to 5 C for 193 and 242 days, respectively. Samples were taken at about 28-day intervals for determination of germination, ethylene production, and LG activity. Seeds of two and three maturities were tested for SL80 and SL81, respectively. As afterripening of stored seeds proceeded, ethylene production gradually increased, with the maximum at 48 hours of germination. Germination showed a concomitant gradual increase. Lipoxygenase activity of both seedlots was less for mature than for immature seeds and showed a sharp increase during storage at 2 to 5 C, particularly for immature seeds. After heat-treatment to break dormancy of sublots from SL81, there was a progessive increase in ethylene production and germination, but most notably for mature seeds. In contrast to ethylene production and germination, after heat-treatment LG activity declined. Linear correlation coefficient (r) values between ethylene production and germination were highly significant for mature seeds from SL80 at 48 and 72 hours of germination, but only at 72 hours for immature seeds. For SL81 as for SL80, significant positive correlations were found between ethylene production and germination. However, correlations between LG activity and the other variables were not significant except for mature seeds from SL81. Significant positive correlations for both ethylene production and germination with LG activity also existed for these seeds. But after heat-treatment these correlations no longer occurred. The data indicate that the metabolic processes related to ethylene production and germination are occurring simultaneously with those of LG activity. The possibility that metabolites from LG activity serve as substrates for ethylene production can not be precluded.
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Keywords: Arachis hypogaea L, Groundnut, Germination, Storage, enzyme, metabolism
How to Cite:
Ketring, D. & Pattee, H., (1985) “Ethylene and Lipoxygenase In Relation to Afterripening of Dormant NC-13 Peanut Seeds1,2”, Peanut Science 12(1), p.45-49. doi: https://doi.org/10.3146/pnut.12.1.0011