Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T06:41:59.024Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Enzyme Activity in Dormant and Nondormant Large Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) Seeds Following Hydration

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

P. K. Biswas
Affiliation:
Dep. of Plant and Soil Sci., Tuskegee Inst., AL 36088
A. Devi
Affiliation:
Dep. of Plant and Soil Sci., Tuskegee Inst., AL 36088
P. K. Roy
Affiliation:
Dep. of Plant and Soil Sci., Tuskegee Inst., AL 36088
K. B. Paul
Affiliation:
Dep. of Plant and Soil Sci., Tuskegee Inst., AL 36088

Abstract

In order to germinate successfully, large crabgrass [Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.] seeds require a period of after-ripening. Some changes, either physical, biochemical or both, must occur in these seeds during this after-ripening process. This paper reports the differences in the activities of several enzymes between dormant (non-after-ripened) and nondormant (after-ripened) large crabgrass seeds at various periods of hydration. The total protein content of dormant seeds does not change during imbibition but increases greatly in nondormant seeds at 48 and 76 h of hydration. Initially, nondormant seeds exhibit high alpha-amylase activity and low peroxidase and acid phosphatase activities. Alpha-amylase activity remains unchanged relatively in both dormant and nondormant seeds up to 36 h of hydration, but increases greatly in nondormant seeds at 48 and 76 h of hydration. Peroxidase activity, which is initially low in nondormant seeds, increases substantially at 48 and 76 h of soaking. Acid phosphatase activity in dormant seeds does not change following hydration but is gradually elevated in nondormant seeds with duration of soaking. Lipase activity in dormant seeds remains fairly constant upon hydration. In nondormant seeds, however, the activity gradually decreases with duration of soaking, the decrease being 3 to 4 fold at 76 h of imbibition. Except for lipase, there is a positive correlation in the activities of alpha-amylase, peroxidase, and acid phosphatases with the increase of total protein content of nondormant seeds.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1978 by the Weed Science Society of America 

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

Literature Cited

1. Amen, R. D. 1968. A model of seed dormancy. Bot. Rev. 54:129.Google Scholar
2. Amen, R. D. 1963. The concept of seed dormancy. Am. Sci. 51:408424.Google Scholar
3. Bier, M. 1955. Lipase. Pages 627633 in Colowick, S. P. and Kaplan, N. O., eds. Methods of Enzymology. Vol. I. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
4. Biswas, P. K., Bell, P. D., Crayton, J. L., and Paul, K. B. 1974. Germination behavior of Florida pursley seeds. I. Effects of storage, light, temperature and planting depth on germination. Weed Sci. 23:400403.Google Scholar
5. Biswas, P. K., Mayberry, B. D., Roy, P. K., and Paul, K. B. 1975. Factors contributing to the dormancy of large crabgrass seeds. Proc. Asian-Pac. Weed Sci. Conf. Tokyo, Japan.Google Scholar
6. Dawson, M. D. and Heinrichs, D. H. 1952. The effects of various germination techniques to overcome dormancy in gree stipa grass seed. Sci. Agric. 32:266271.Google Scholar
7. Fendall, R. K. and Carter, J. F. 1965. New seed dormancy of green needlegrass. I. Influence of the lemma and palea on germination, water absorption, and oxygen uptake. Crop Sci. 5:533536.Google Scholar
8. Gardiner, M. and Cheland, R. 1974. Peroxidase changes during the cessation of elongation Pisum sativum stems. Phytochemistry 13:10951098.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9. Gianfagna, A. J. and Pridham, A. M. S. 1952. Some aspects of dormancy and germination of crabgrass seed, Digitaria sanguinalis Scop. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 58:291297.Google Scholar
10. Hay, J. R. 1962. Experiments on the mechanism of induced dormancy in wild oats, Avena fatua L. Can. J. Bot. 40:191202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11. Holm, R. E. and Miller, M. R. 1972. Hormonal control of weed seed germination. Weed Sci. 20:209212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12. Juliano, B. O. and Varner, J. E. 1969. Enzymatic degradation of starch granules in the cotyledons of germinating peas. Plant Physiol. 44:886892.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13. Linhard, K. and Walter, K. 1965. Determination of acid phosphatase in serum with p-nitrophenyl phosphate. Pages 783785 in Bergmeyer, H. V., ed. Methods of Enzyme Analysis. Verlag-chemie, Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
14. Lowry, O. H., Rosebrongh, N. J., Farr, A. L., and Randall, R. J. 1951. Protein measurement with Folin-phenol reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 193:265275.Google Scholar
15. Maehly, A. C. and Chance, B. 1954. Catalase and peroxidase. Pages 764778 in Glick, D., ed. Methods of Biochemical Analysis. Vol. I. Interscience Publisher, New York.Google Scholar
16. Maguire, J. D. and Steen, K. M. 1971. Effects of potassium nitrate on germination and respiration of dormant and nondormant Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) seed. Crop. Sci. 11:4850.Google Scholar
17. Martin, C. C. 1975. The role of glumes and gibberellic acid in dormancy of Themedatriandra spikelets. Physiol. Plant. 33:171176.Google Scholar
18. Paul, K. B., Crayton, J. L., and Biswas, P. K. 1976. Germination behavior of Florida purley seeds. II. Effects of germination stimulating chemicals. Weed Sci. 24:349351.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19. Potty, V. H. 1969. Determination of protein in the presence of phenols and pectins. Anal. Biochem. 29:535545.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20. Shuster, L. and Gifford, R. H. 1962. Changes in 3-nucleotidase during the germination of wheat embryos. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 96:534540.Google Scholar
21. Smith, B. W. and Roe, J. R. 1949. A photometric method for the determination of alpha-amylase in blood and urine with the use of starch-iodine color. J. Biol. Chem. 179:5359.Google Scholar
22. Toole, V. K. 1939. Germination of the seeds of poverty grass, Danthonia spicata , J. Am. Soc. Agron. 00:954965.CrossRefGoogle Scholar