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  • The high reducing sugar content during germination contributes to desiccation damage in lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L.) radicles

Seed Science Research

Table of Contents - 1995 - Volume 5, Issue 03  

Physiology and Biochemistry

The high reducing sugar content during germination contributes to desiccation damage in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) radicles

P. van der Toorna1 c1 and B. D. McKersiea2

a1 Sandoz Seeds, S&G Research, P.O. Box 26, 1600 AA Enkhuizen, Netherlands

a2 Department of Crop Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada

Abstract

At the time of protrusion, radicles of lettuce seeds became susceptible to desiccation damage. Concomitant with radicle elongation, both the reducing sugar content and the amount of lipid-aldehydes increased. The role of the hydroxy- and lipid-aldehydes in browning reactions that occurred during desiccation and re-imbibition was analysed. It was concluded that both types of aldehydes reacted with amino-groups during desiccation and that the increase in lipid-aldehydes during germination could be due to the augmented reducing sugar content. Therefore, the high reducing sugar content in radicles of germinated lettuce seeds may be the primary source of hydroxyl radicals, and thereby, a principal cause of desiccation damage.

(Received February 12 1995)

(Accepted May 01 1995)

Keywords

Correspondence:

c1 Correspondence

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