Deterioration mechanisms in air-dry pea seeds during early aging.

The deteriorative reactions underlying seed aging, namely, lipid peroxidation and non-enzymatic carbohydrate hydrolysis, were studied in pea seeds differing in quality. Aging air-dry seeds were subdivided to three fractions using the application to individual seeds of room temperature phosphorescence. These fractions were strong seeds (fraction I) producing normal seedlings, weak seeds (fraction II) producing mainly abnormal seedlings, and dead seeds (fraction III). Enzymatic processes cannot operate in dry seeds due to the absence of free water, and thus an analytical method was needed that does not require the addition of water. The content of lipid peroxidation products was similar in both strong and weak seeds; this excluded the possibility that lipid peroxidation induced the transition of strong to weak seeds during early aging. Lipid peroxidation was activated only in dying seeds. However, glucose content in weak seeds was much higher than in strong seeds, suggestive of non-enzymatic hydrolysis of carbohydrates, probably of oligosaccharides, which utilized bound water in air-dry seeds. This process resulted in lowered water content in weak seeds. Therefore, associated with deterioration of air-dry seeds during early aging is the non-enzymatic hydrolysis of carbohydrates, whereas lipid peroxidation is not the decisive event.