Abstract
Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seeds, which are tolerant to desiccation, freshly harvested after shedding, were dried at 15 and 30 °C and at the similar rate, to 9% of water content. A slight decrease of germinability was observed in seeds dried at 30 °C. Moreover, there was a notably higher solute leakage and a higher level of lipid hydroperoxides. Seeds dried at 30 °C contained less PC and PE and a lower level of unsaturated fatty acids (18:2 and 18:3), sterols and α-tocopherol. These results as well as changes in ascorbate and glutathione contents provide conclusive evidence for the presence of oxidative stress in beech seeds desiccated at 30 °C, which damaged membranes due to increased lipid peroxidation and changed membrane structure leading to their enhanced sensibility to free radical attack during storage.
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Pukacka, S., Wójkiewicz, E. The effect of the temperature of drying on viability and some factors affecting storability of Fagus sylvatica seeds. Acta Physiol Plant 25, 163–169 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-003-0049-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-003-0049-5