Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-mp689 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T16:38:42.068Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effects of priming on nuclear replication activity and germination of pepper (Capsicum annuum) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) seeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

S. Lanteri ,
F. Saracco ,
H. L. Kraak  and
R. J. Bino
S. Lanteri
Affiliation:
DI VA PRA Plant Breeding and Seed production, via P. Giuria 15, 10126 Turin, Italy
F. Saracco
Affiliation:
DI VA PRA Plant Breeding and Seed production, via P. Giuria 15, 10126 Turin, Italy
H. L. Kraak
Affiliation:
CPRO-DLO Centre for Plant Breeding and Reproduction Research, P O Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
R. J. Bino*
Affiliation:
CPRO-DLO Centre for Plant Breeding and Reproduction Research, P O Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
*
* Correspondence
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Using flow cytometry, we determined relative DNA amounts expressed as C-values, of large numbers of nuclei isolated from embryo root tips in three seed lots of pepper (Capsicum annuum) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). The nuclei in embryos of fully matured dry pepper and tomato seeds predominantly revealed 2C signals, which indicates that the cells of maturing seeds have arrested at G1 phase of the cell cycle. Priming of pepper and tomato seeds in −1.1, −1.3 or −1.5 MPa polyethylene glycol (PEG) for 14 days reduced the mean time to germination. In all seed lots an induction of 4C signals was found after priming, indicating that during priming the cells of the embryonic root tip had replicated their DNA and arrested at the G2 phase of the cell cycle. For both tomato and pepper, the frequency of 4C signals was highest at the lowest PEG concentration (osmotic potential of −1.1 MPa). A significant inverse correlation was found between the frequency of root tip cells expressing 4C DNA signals and the mean time to germination for each individual pepper and tomato seed lot. However, the effect of a specific osmotic treatment differed between seed lots of the same cultivar, with regard to both the decrease in the mean time to germination and to the percentage of 4C cells, suggesting specific differences among seed lots in the response to priming. The present results indicate that flow cytometry can be used to follow the progress in nuclear replication activities during priming. The advancement in DNA synthesis can thus be used to measure the efficiency of a priming treatment with regard to enhancement of seed lot germination rate.

Keywords

Capsicum annuumDNA replicationflow cytometryLycopersicon esculentumpepperprimingseedtomato
Type
Research Papers
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 4 , Issue 2 , June 1994 , pp. 81 - 87
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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

Akers, S.W., Brede, J. and Bates, J.J. (1985) Why some vegetable seed cannot be primed in aerated solutions. HortScience 20, 594.Google Scholar
Ashraf, M. and Bray, C.M. (1993) DNA synthesis in osmoprimed leek (Allium porrum L.) seeds and evidence for repair and replication. Seed Science Research 3, 15–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bino, R.J., De Vries, J.N., Kraak, H.L. and Van Pijlen, J.G. (1992) Flow cytometric determination of nuclear repli cation stages in tomato seeds during priming and germination. Annals of Botany 69, 231–236.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bino, R.J., Lanteri, S., Verhoeven, H.A. and Kraak, H.L. (1993) Flow cytometric determination of nuclear repli cation stages in seed tissues. Annals of Botany 72, 181–187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bradford, K.J., May, D.M., Hoyle, B.J., Skibinski, Z.S., Scott, S.J. and Tyler, K.B. (1988) Seed and soil treatments to improve emergence of muskmelon from cold or crusted soils. Crop Science 26, 1001–1005.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bray, C.M., Davison, P.A., Ashraf, M. and Taylor, R.M. (1989) Biochemical changes during priming of leek seeds. Annals of Botany 63, 185–193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davison, P.A. and Bray, C.M. (1991) Protein synthesis during osmopriming of leek (Allium porrum L.). Seed Science Research 1, 29–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dell'Aquila, A., Savino, G. and De Leo, P. (1978) Metabolic changes induced by hydration-dehydration presowing treatment in wheat embryo. Plant and Cell Physiology 19, 348–354.Google Scholar
Ellis, R.H. and Butcher, P.D. (1988) The effects of priming and “natural” differences in quality amongst onion seed lots on the response of the rate of germination to temperature and the identification of the characteristics under genotypic control. Journal of Experimental Botany 39, 935–950.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heydecker, W. and Coolbear, P. (1977) Seed treatments for improved performance-survey and attempted prognosis. Seed Science and Technology 5, 353–425.Google Scholar
International Seed Testing Association (1985) International rules for seed testing. Rules 1985. Seed Science and Technology 13, 299–335.Google Scholar
Koopman, M.J.F. (1963) Results of a number of storage experiments conducted under controlled conditions (other than agricultural seeds). Proceedings International Seed Testing Association 28, 853–860.Google Scholar
Karssen, C.M., Brinkhorst-van der Swan, D.L.C., Breekland, A.E. and Koornneef, M. (1983) Induction of dormancy during seed development by endogenous abscisic acid: studies on abscisic acid deficient genotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Planta 157, 158–165.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lanteri, S., Kraak, H.L., De Vos, C.H.R. and Bino, R.J. (1993) Effects of osmotic preconditioning on nuclear replication activity in seeds of pepper (Capsicum an-nuum L.). Physiologia Plantarum 89, 433–440.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, Y., Bergervoet, J.H.W., Bino, R.J., De Vos, C.H.R., Hilhorst, H.W.M., Kraak, H.L. and Karssen, C.M. (in press) Nuclear replication activities during imbibition of abscisic acid- and gibberellin-deficient tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) seeds. Planta.Google Scholar
Nerson, H. and Govers, A. (1986) Salt priming of muskmelon seeds for low-temperature germination. Scientia Horticulturae 28, 85–91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ni, B. and Bradford, K.J. (1992) Quantitative models characterizing seed germination responses to abscisic acid and osmoticum. Plant Physiology 98, 1057–1068.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Osborne, D.J. (1983) Biochemical control systems operating in the early hours of germination. Canadian Journal of Botany 61, 3568–3577.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pearl, M. and Feder, Z. (1981) Improved seedling development of pepper seeds (Capsicum annuum) by seed treatment for germination activities. Seed Science and Technology, 9, 655–663.Google Scholar
Saxena, P.K. and King, J. (1989) Isolation of nuclei and their transplantation into plant protoplasts, pp 328–342 in Bajaj, Y.P.S. (Ed.) Biotechnology in agriculture and forestry. Plant protoplast and genetic engineering. New York, Springer-Verlag.Google Scholar
Ulrich, I. and Ulrich, W. (1991) High-resolution flow cytometry of nuclear DNA in higher plants. Proto-plasma 165, 212–215.Google Scholar
Welbaum, G.E. and Bradford, K.J. (1991) Water relations of seed development and germination in muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.). Journal of Experimental Botany 42, 393–399.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zanzoterra, P.A. and Bray, C.M. (1989) Biochemical and physiological changes during osmotic priming and germination of leek seeds. Plant Physiology (Life Science Advances) 8, 11–16.Google Scholar