Hormonal Profiling in Ungerminated and Germinated Seeds of African Yam Bean (<i>Sphenostylis stenocarpa</i> (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Harms)

Abstract

Hormonal profiles of ungerminated and germinated seeds of Sphenostylis stenocarpa were studied. The hormone gibberellin (GA) was extracted with 80% methanol. The hormone was purified with polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) column chromatography and quantified with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). High performance liquid chromatography analysis identified five endogenous gibberellins GA1, GA3, GA4, GA7 and GA20. Quantification of gibberellin in ng/g (dw) for ungerminated and germinated seeds showed that GA1 was highest in quantity than GA3, GA4, GA7 and GA20 in all the fractions in ungerminated seed while GA3 was highest in quantity in germinated seed than GA1, GA4, GA7 and GA20. This study suggests that hormone extracted from ungerminated and germinated seeds of S. stenocarpa could be a source of phytohormones for research and agricultural purposes.