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Wet-dry cycling extends seed persistence by re-instating antioxidant capacity

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Abstract

Seeds in the field experience wet-dry cycling that is akin to the well-studied commercial process of seed priming in which seeds are hydrated and then re-dried to standardise their germination characteristics. To investigate whether the persistence (defined as in situ longevity) and antioxidant capacity of seeds are influenced by wet-dry cycling, seeds of the global agronomic weed Avena sterilis ssp. ludoviciana were subjected to (1) controlled ageing at 60% relative humidity and 53.5°C for 31 days, (2) controlled ageing then priming, or (3) ageing in the field in three soils for 21 months. Changes in seed viability (total germination), mean germination time, seedling vigour (mean seedling length), and the concentrations of the glutathione (GSH) / glutathione disulphide (GSSG) redox couple were recorded over time. As controlled-aged seeds lost viability, GSH levels declined and the relative proportion of GSSG contributing to total glutathione increased, indicative of a failing antioxidant capacity. Subjecting seeds that were aged under controlled conditions to a wet-dry cycle (to −1 MPa) prevented viability loss and increased GSH levels. Field-aged seeds that underwent numerous wet-dry cycles due to natural rainfall maintained high viability and high GSH levels. Thus wet-dry cycles in the field may enhance seed longevity and persistence coincident with re-synthesis of protective compounds such as GSH.

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Abbreviations

GSH:

glutathione

GSSG:

glutathione disulphide

MGT:

mean germination time

RH:

relative humidity

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SE:

standard error

WC:

water content

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Acknowledgements

Thank you to Danica Goggin for helpful comments on this manuscript. Operational and travel funding for Rowena Long were provided by the Cooperative Research Centre for Australian Weed Management, The Council of Australasian Weed Societies, The Seeds for Life Project at the University of Queensland, The Millennium Seed Bank Project at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and a University of Queensland Graduate School Research Travel Award.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Rowena L. Long

  2. The Cooperative Research Centre for Australian Weed Management, Crawley, Australia

    Rowena L. Long, F. Dane Panetta & Steve W. Adkins

  3. Seed Conservation Department, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, West Sussex, RH17 6TN, UK

    Ilse Kranner & Simona Birtic

  4. Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI), Alan Fletcher Research Station, Sherwood, QLD, 4075, Australia

    F. Dane Panetta

  5. School of Land, Crop and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Steve W. Adkins

  6. School of Pharmacy and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Kathryn J. Steadman

Authors
  1. Rowena L. Long
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  2. Ilse Kranner
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  3. F. Dane Panetta
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  4. Simona Birtic
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  5. Steve W. Adkins
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  6. Kathryn J. Steadman
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Correspondence to Rowena L. Long.

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Responsible Editor: Jeffrey Walck.

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Long, R.L., Kranner, I., Panetta, F.D. et al. Wet-dry cycling extends seed persistence by re-instating antioxidant capacity. Plant Soil 338, 511–519 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0564-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0564-2

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