Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T12:48:34.520Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A fast ethanol assay to detect seed deterioration

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 October 2011

Jan Kodde ,
Wayne T. Buckley ,
Corine C. de Groot ,
Marie Retiere ,
Ana Marcela Viquez Zamora  and
Steven P.C. Groot
Jan Kodde
Affiliation:
Plant Research International B.V., PO Box 619, 6700AP Wageningen, The Netherlands
Wayne T. Buckley
Affiliation:
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Brandon Research Centre, PO Box 1000A, R.R. #3 Brandon, Manitoba R7A 5Y3, Canada
Corine C. de Groot
Affiliation:
Bejo Zaden BV., PO Box 50, 1749ZH Warmenhuizen, The Netherlands
Marie Retiere
Affiliation:
Plant Research International B.V., PO Box 619, 6700AP Wageningen, The Netherlands
Ana Marcela Viquez Zamora
Affiliation:
Wageningen University, Horticultural Production Chains Group, PO Box 630, 6700AP Wageningen, The Netherlands
Steven P.C. Groot*
Affiliation:
Plant Research International B.V., PO Box 619, 6700AP Wageningen, The Netherlands
*
*Correspondence Fax: +31 317 480587 Email: steven.groot@wur.nl
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The most common way to test seed quality is to use a simple and reliable but time- and space-consuming germination test. In this paper we present a fast and simple method to analyse cabbage seed deterioration by measuring ethanol production from partially imbibed seeds. The method uses a modified breath analyser and is simple compared to gas chromatographic or enzymatic procedures. A modified method using elevated temperatures (40°C instead of 20°C) shortened the assay time and improved its sensitivity. The analysis showed an inverse correlation between ethanol production and seed quality (e.g. the final percentages or speed of germination and the number of normal seedlings). The increase in ethanol production was observed when cabbage seeds were deteriorated by storage under ambient conditions or hot water treatments, both of which reduced the number of normal seedlings. Premature seeds produced more ethanol upon imbibition than mature seeds. Ethanol production occurred simultaneously with oxygen consumption, indicating that lack of oxygen is not the major trigger for ethanol production.

Keywords

Brassicabreath analyserethanolfermentationmitochondriaseed deteriorationseed quality
Type
Research Papers
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 22 , Issue 1 , March 2012 , pp. 55 - 62
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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

Akimoto, T., Cho, S., Yoshida, H., Furuta, H. and Esashi, Y. (2004) Involvement of acetaldehyde in seed deterioration of some recalcitrant woody species through the acceleration of aerobic respiration. Plant and Cell Physiology 45, 201–210.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Benamar, A., Tallon, C. and Macherel, D. (2003) Membrane integrity and oxidative properties of mitochondria isolated from imbibing pea seeds after priming or accelerated ageing. Seed Science Research 13, 35–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bewley, J.D. and Black, M. (1994) Seeds: Physiology of development and germination (2nd edition). New York, Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Bicanic, D., Persijn, S., Taylor, A., Cozijnsen, J., van Veldhuyzen, D., Lenssen, G. and Wegh, H. (2003) Detection of ethanol and acetaldehyde released from cabbage seeds of different quality: laser photoacoustic spectroscopy versus FTIR and headspace gas chromatography. Review of Scientific Instruments 74, 690–693.Google Scholar
Bucher, M., Brander, K.A., Sbicego, S., Mandel, T. and Kuhlemeier, C. (1995) Aerobic fermentation in tobacco pollen. Plant Molecular Biology 28, 739–750.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buckley, W.T. and Buckley, K.E. (2009) Low-molecular-weight volatile indicators of canola seed deterioration. Seed Science and Technology 37, 676–690.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buckley, W.T. and Huang, J. (2011) An ethanol-based seed vigour assay for canola. Seed Science and Technology 39, 510–526.Google Scholar
Buckley, W.T., Irvine, R.B., Buckley, K.E. and Elliott, R.H. (2006) New, 24-h seed vigour assays for canola. The ASA–CSSA–SSSA International Annual Meetings (12–16 November 2006), Indianapolis. Available at website http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2006am/techprogram/P26853.HTM (accessed 27 October 2010).Google Scholar
Cossins, E.A. and Beevers, H. (1963) Ethanol metabolism in plant tissues. Plant Physiology 38, 375–380.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Davies, D.D., Grego, S. and Kenworthy, P. (1974) The control of the production of lactate and ethanol by higher plants. Planta 118, 297–310.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Delouche, J.C. and Baskin, C.C. (1973) Accelerated aging techniques for predicting the relative storability of seed lots. Seed Science and Technology 1, 427–452.Google Scholar
Elson, M.K., Morse, R.D., Wolf, D.D. and Vaughan, D.H. (1992) High-temperature inhibition of seed germination and seedling emergence of broccoli. HortTechnology 2, 417–419.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fan, T.W.M., Higashi, R.M., Frenkiel, T.A. and Lane, A.N. (1997) Anaerobic nitrate and ammonium metabolism in flood-tolerant rice coleoptiles. Journal of Experimental Botany 48, 1655–1666.Google Scholar
Feireira de Sousa, C.A. and Sodek, L. (2002) The metabolic response of plants to oxygen deficiency. Brazilian Journal of Plant Physiololy 14, 83–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Groot, S.P.C., Birnbaum, Y., Rop, N., Jalink, H., Forsberg, G., Kromphardt, C., Werner, S. and Koch, E. (2006) Effect of seed maturity on sensitivity of seeds towards physical sanitation treatments. Seed Science and Technology 34, 403–413.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Groot, S.P.C., Birnbaum, Y., Kromphardt, C., Forsberg, G., Rop, N. and Werner, S. (2008) Effect of the activation of germination processes on the sensitivity of seeds towards physical sanitation treatments. Seed Science and Technology 36, 609–620.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ISTA (1999) International Seed Testing Association. International rules for seed testing. Seed Science and Technology 27, .Google Scholar
Jalink, H., van der Schoor, R., Frandas, A., van Pijlen, J.G. and Bino, R.J. (1998) Chlorophyll fluorescence of Brassica oleracea seeds as a non-destructive marker for seed maturity and seed performance. Seed Science Research 8, 437–443.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Joosen, R.V.L., Kodde, J., Willems, L.A.J., Ligterink, W., Van der Plas, L.H.W. and Hilhorst, H.W.M. (2010) GERMINATOR: a software package for high-throughput scoring and curve fitting of Arabidopsis seed germination. The Plant Journal 62, 148–159.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Karma, S.K. (1968) Effect of different distances between water level and seed bed on Jacobsen apparatus on the germination of Pinus silvestris L. seed. Studia Forestalia Suecica 65, 1–17.Google Scholar
Kataki, P.K. and Taylor, A.G. (2001) Time course study of ethanol production by corn and soybean to optimize the use of ANA ethanol index as an accurate seed quality test. Journal of New Seeds 3, 1–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Matthews, S. and Khajeh-Hosseini, M. (2006) Mean germination time as an indicator of emergence performance in soil of seed lots of maize (Zea mays). Seed Science and Technology 34, 339–347.Google Scholar
Matthews, S. and Khajeh-Hosseini, M. (2007) Length of the lag period of germination and metabolic repair explain vigour differences in seed lots of maize (Zea mays). Seed Science and Technology 35, 200–212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McDonald, M.B. (1980) Assessment of seed quality. Hortscience 15, 784–788.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McGee, D.C. (1995) Epidemiological approach to disease management through seed technology. Annual Review of Phytopathology 33, 445–466.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Perry, D.A. (1978) Report on the vigour test committee 1974–1977. Seed Science and Technology 6, 159–181.Google Scholar
Rasmusson, A.G., Soole, K.L. and Elthon, T.E. (2004) Alternative NAD(P)H dehydrogenase of plant mitochondria. Annual Review of Plant Biology 55, 23–39.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rutzke, C.F.J., Taylor, A.G. and Obendorf, R.L. (2008) Influence of aging, oxygen, and moisture on ethanol production from cabbage seeds. Journal American Society for Horticultural Science 133, 158–164.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Singer, T.P. and Pensky, J. (1952) Isolation and properties of the α-carboxylase of wheat germ. Journal of Biological Chemistry 196, 375–388.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, A.M. and Rees, T. (1979) Pathways of carbohydrate fermentation in the roots of marsh plants. Planta 146, 327–334.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Taylor, A.G., Johnson, C.F. and Kataki, P.K. (1999) Ethanol production by hydrated seeds: A high resolution index of seeds quality. ISHS Acta Horticulturea 504, 153–157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woodstock, L.W. and Taylorson, R.B. (1981) Ethanol and acetaldehyde in imbibing soybean seeds in relation to deterioration. Plant Physiology 67, 424–428.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed