Abstract
The LERCAFE test consists in immersing coffee seeds in an active chlorine solution, which reacts with the seeds’ endosperm, thus staining the viable parts dark green. The goal was to adapt the LERCAFE methodology to coffee seeds and assess the isoenzymatic profile of seeds subjected to the test. Two experiments were conducted, the first with adequacy of the LERCAFE test methodology, and the second experiment adequacy of the LERCAFE test methodology with the content of active chlorine quantified. A completely randomized design was used, with four replications of 50 seeds in a factorial scheme 4x4 (4 cultivars and 4 treatments of LERCAFE test). In the first experiment, it was possible to sort the cultivars into two quality levels by means of the treatments at 2.5% for 3 h, 3.5% for 2 h and 3 h. In the second experiment, it was found that the test enables determining the coffee seeds’ physiological potential by using 2 and 3% active chlorine for 5 and 3 h, respectively. The coffee seeds subjected to LERCAFE test show changes in the activity of esterase, malate dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes, and the activation or deactivation of these enzyme systems vary with the concentration and immersion time in the solution of active chlorine. Key words: Viability, sodium hypochlorite, Coffea arabica.
Highlights
There are several factors that contribute to a successful implementation of a coffee farming, among them, the use of healthy and well developed seedlings, which are the base of support for the establishment of culture, mainly because it is a perennial crop (Carvalho et al, 2012)
The coffee seeds subjected to LERCAFE test show changes in the activity of esterase, malate dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes, and the activation or deactivation of these enzyme systems vary with the concentration and immersion time in the solution of active chlorine
Reis et al (2010) concluded that treatment in which seeds were immersed in a sodium hypochlorite solution with 2.5% of active chlorine for a period of 3 h at 25°C is efficient in the estimation of the viability by the test, as Zonta et al (2010) concluded that the treatments of 2.5% of active chlorine with immersion time of 3 h at 35°C and 3.5% of active chlorine with immersion period of 2 h at 30°C are efficient in estimating the viability by the test
Summary
There are several factors that contribute to a successful implementation of a coffee farming, among them, the use of healthy and well developed seedlings, which are the base of support for the establishment of culture, mainly because it is a perennial crop (Carvalho et al, 2012). The methodology of LERCAFE test consists in immersing coffee seeds in a sodium hypochlorite solution. Reis et al (2010) concluded that treatment in which seeds were immersed in a sodium hypochlorite solution with 2.5% of active chlorine for a period of 3 h at 25°C is efficient in the estimation of the viability by the test, as Zonta et al (2010) concluded that the treatments of 2.5% of active chlorine with immersion time of 3 h at 35°C and 3.5% of active chlorine with immersion period of 2 h at 30°C are efficient in estimating the viability by the test. The test was used to evaluate and characterize mechanical damage in coffee seeds, proving to be efficient (Zonta et al, 2011). This research objective is to standardize the LERCAFE test methodology for assessment of coffee seeds quality (Coffea arabica L.), and to verify the behavior of seeds enzymatic systems after LERCAFE test
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