Seed Germination Inhibitors: Molecular and Phytochemical Aspects

Abstract

Two major stages of seed development are dormancy and germination which finally promotes the growth of a plant. Some internal and external factors such as hormonal, genetic, chromatin development and environmental factors which maintain the seed dormancy with passing time and other suitable factors, these dormancy promoters are gradually decreased causing release of dormancy and promoting germination by the mechanisms of ROS in plant signalling, cell elongation and reverse mobilization. But dormancy has some benefits in protecting the seed from extreme condition even after natural disaster as well as serving as food for predators in order to maintain balance of nature. So, dormancy can be inhibited by some phytochemical components like terpenoids, polyphenoliic compounds, flavonoids, alkaloids and glycosides by the mechanism of inhibiting water uptake system III and II, surface sterilization, reverse mobilization, cell elongation etc

Dynamic Changes to Endogenous Germination Inhibitors in Cercis chinensis Seeds during Dormancy Release

“…A previous study revealed that the IC 50 of hexadecanoic acid is 3,112.1 mgÁmL -1 (Zhang, 2007), indicating it only has weak inhibitory effects on seed germination. Phenol compounds often are strongly inhibitory toward seed germination (Han et al, 2001;Samajdar et al, 2018;Zhao et al, 2018). In addition, ABA is an important plant hormone involved in many biological processes, including the regulation of seed dormancy and germination (Bian et al, 2018;Eli a sov a et al, 2015;Samajdar et al, 2018).…”

“…Phenol compounds often are strongly inhibitory toward seed germination (Han et al, 2001;Samajdar et al, 2018;Zhao et al, 2018). In addition, ABA is an important plant hormone involved in many biological processes, including the regulation of seed dormancy and germination (Bian et al, 2018;Eli a sov a et al, 2015;Samajdar et al, 2018). On the basis of the changes to their relative contents, 1,2,3-benzenetriol and ABA were identified as putative endogenous inhibitors of C. chinensis seed germination.…”

“…Although seed changes during physiological dormancy occur in many species, the exact metabolites or endogenous inhibitors underlying such changes remain largely unknown. Some researchers believe many secondary metabolites in plant seeds can inhibit germination (Bian et al, 2018;Samajdar et al, 2018;Zhao et al, 2018). Wareing (1965) first detected endogenous inhibitors by testing the inhibitory effects of seed extracts on the germination of nondormant plant seeds.…”

“…Normally, the dormancy is influenced by the embryo and its surrounding layers (e.g., seed coat and endosperm). Previous studies revealed that germination is a complex process and the presence of endogenous inhibitors is the major reason for the physiological dormancy in many plants (Paiva and Prudente, 2018;Samajdar et al, 2018). For example, the seeds of Trillium kamtschaticum (Shao et al, 2016) and Taxus yunnanensis (Bian et al, 2018) contain endogenous inhibitors whose contents gradually decrease during dormancy release.…”

“…In walnut seeds, phenolics are believed to inhibit germination (Matok et al, 2009). In addition, organic acids, polyphenolic compounds, flavonoids, and alkaloids have been identified as potential inhibitors (Samajdar et al, 2018).…”