A simple new method for aged seed utilization based on melatonin-mediated germination and antioxidant nutrient production

Song Yu,Lihe Yu,Yifei Zhang,Helin Yang,Xuetian Zhu

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-85541-7

Abstract

Seed deterioration, coupled with a decrease in nutrients, is unavoidable following long-term storage, and these seeds are therefore used as livestock fodder. Here, we developed a simple, rapid and efficient method of producing high amounts of antioxidants from deteriorated seeds via melatonin-induced germination. Legume seeds were subjected to high humidity at 55 °C for 12–36 h to obtain aged seeds with a 40% germination rate and severely reduced antioxidant nutrition (total phenolics content, ferric reducing power and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity). Aged seeds were then treated with 0.1 mM melatonin, resulting in the production of sprouts with a higher total phenolics content (fivefold), greater ferric reducing power (sevenfold) and greater DPPH radical scavenging capacity (twofold) compared to the aged seeds. These findings suggest that melatonin treatment efficiently converted aged seed reserve residues into antioxidant nutrients, providing an alternative use for deteriorated seeds in food production.

Highlights

Seed deterioration, coupled with a decrease in nutrients, is unavoidable following long-term storage, and these seeds are used as livestock fodder
Ageing treatment-impaired germination was profoundly reversed by melatonin, and compared with the aged seeds, treatment with 0.1 mM melatonin significantly increased the germination rate (GR) by approximately 123 and 36% in the low and high aged mung bean seeds, Scientific Reports | (2021) 11:5937 |
Aging treatment caused a severe decrease in the phenolics content and antioxidant capacity even in low aged bean seeds (Tables 1, 2, 3), which is partly in line with previous reports showing a rapid decrease in the GSH and vitamin E content in aged crop seeds[26,27]

Summary

Introduction

Seed deterioration, coupled with a decrease in nutrients, is unavoidable following long-term storage, and these seeds are used as livestock fodder. Aged seeds were treated with 0.1 mM melatonin, resulting in the production of sprouts with a higher total phenolics content (fivefold), greater ferric reducing power (sevenfold) and greater DPPH radical scavenging capacity (twofold) compared to the aged seeds. These findings suggest that melatonin treatment efficiently converted aged seed reserve residues into antioxidant nutrients, providing an alternative use for deteriorated seeds in food production. Melatonin was used to restore vitality and promote sprout production, resulting in a large content of antioxidant nutrients This method uses cheap and readily-available aged legume seeds, and does not require a lot of time or complicated techniques.

Methods

Results

Conclusion