The role of lipases in the removal of dormancy in apple seeds.

It was found that the temperature optimum for apple (Malus domestica Borb.) seed acid lipase is the same as that for seed after-ripening process. The activity of the enzyme occurs between the 40th and 70th days of stratification, whereas the activity of alkaline lipase very low at that time appears about 20 days later. The changes of both enzyme activities were also studied during dark and light culture of embryos isolated from seeds after different times of stratification. Only the alkaline enzyme activity is under the control of light. It was concluded that essentially the same process, i.e. the hydrolysis of reserve fats is catalysed by two different enzymes: acid lipase acting during the cold-mediated breaking of embryo dormancy and alkaline lipase acting during the germination of dormant embryos, thus being under light control.