Germination inhibitors in embryos and endosperms from Pinus pinea seeds.

Inhibitors from Pinus pinea L. seed embryos and endosperms were separated using thin layer chromatography and a Sephadex G-10 column. The inhibitory activity was resolved into several fractions. One of these behaved similarly to abscisic acid in thin layer chromatography and Sephadex G-10 chromatography and in UV absorption and fluorescence spectra. In endosperm another potent inhibitor was detected, which showed a characteristic syndrome similar to that of phosphon D. These germination inhibitors are involved in the regulation of P. pinea seed germination.