Changes in lipids of bean seeds (Phaseolus vulgaris) and corn caryopses (Zea mays) aged in contrasting environments
1990
Lin, S.S. | Pearce, R.S.
Seeds of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. The Prince) and caryopses of sweet corn (maize; Zea mays L.F1 hybrid First of All) were stored in environments of 79% relative humidity and 25 °C, 80% r.h. and 40 °C or 100% r.h. and 45 °C, giving ageing (loss of gcrminability and vigour) over periods of months, weeks or days, respectively. The relationship between changes in lipids and changes in germinability or vigour was unaffected in general by the speed of ageing. In the corn caryopses there was no evidence of hydrolysis of phospholipids or peroxidation of fatty acids during ageing. In the bean seeds phosphatidic acid increased during the ageing period and phosphatyl choline declined. The percentage of fatty acids as hnolenic acid initially fell during bean ageing, but in the slower ageing conditions it rose again as germination reached zero. In bean, the presence of phosphatidic acid could be a sensitive indictator of loss of vigour, but relative proportions of the different fatty acids would be a misleading indicator of quality. Rapid artificial ageing may be an adequate model, in some species, of ageing at moderate speeds and of ageing under some ambient conditions.
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