A fast ethanol assay to detect seed deterioration

作者：Kodde Jan; Buckley Wayne T; de Groot Corine C; Retiere Marie; Zamora Ana Marcela Viquez; Groot Steven P C^*

来源：Seed Science Research, 2012, 22(1): 55-62.

DOI：10.1017/S0960258511000274

• Brassica
• breath analyser
• ethanol
• fermentation
• mitochondria
• seed deterioration
• seed quality

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 degrees C instead of 20 degrees 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.

• 出版日期2012-3