Abstract
Maize is one of the most important cereal crop species due to its uses for human and cattle nourishment, as well as its industrial use as a raw material. The yield and grain quality of maize depend on plant establishment, which starts with germination. Germination is dependent on embryo vigor and the stored reserves in the scutellum and endosperm. During germination, the scutellum epidermis changes and secretes enzymes and hormones into the endosperm. As a result, the hydrolysis products of the reserves and the different soluble nutrients are translocated to the scutellum through epithelial cells. Then, the reserves are directed to the embryo axis to sustain its growth. Therefore, the microenvironment surrounding the scutellum modulates its function. Zinc (Zn) is a micronutrient stored in the maize scutellum and endosperm; during imbibition, Zn from the endosperm is solubilized and mobilized towards the scutellum. During this process, Zn first becomes concentrated and interacts with cell wall charges, after which excess Zn is internalized in the vacuole. Currently, the effect of high Zn concentrations on the scutellum function and germinative processes are not known. In this paper, we show that, as a function of the concentration and time of exposure, Zn causes decreases in the radicle and plumule lengths and promotes the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and flavonoids as well as changes in the activity of the cell wall Class III peroxidase (POD), which was quantified with guaiacol or catechin in the presence of H2O2. The relationship between the activity index or proportion of POD activity in the scutellum and the changes in the flavonoid concentration is proposed as a marker of stress and the state of vigor of the embryo.
Highlights
IntroductionWheat, and rice are the agricultural products in greatest demand worldwide, occupying a large area of cultivation and production and having high economic benefits.Of these three crop species, maize occupies the largest planting area and is third in terms of economic importance [1,2]
Maize, wheat, and rice are the agricultural products in greatest demand worldwide, occupying a large area of cultivation and production and having high economic benefits.Of these three crop species, maize occupies the largest planting area and is third in terms of economic importance [1,2]
After 24 h of imbibition, the germination rates of the embryos in the different imbibition media ranged from 83.3% to 100%, and the differences were not significant between groups (Figure 1b), except for Zn50 medium in which the germination rate was below 60%
Summary
Wheat, and rice are the agricultural products in greatest demand worldwide, occupying a large area of cultivation and production and having high economic benefits.Of these three crop species, maize occupies the largest planting area and is third in terms of economic importance [1,2]. Wheat, and rice are the agricultural products in greatest demand worldwide, occupying a large area of cultivation and production and having high economic benefits. Productive Chalqueño maize is cultivated at an elevation of between 1800 and 2700 m in the high valleys of central Mexico [3]. This cultivar has high germination and vigor, a long life cycle, moderate resistance to drought in the middle stage of growth, and is adapted to growth in volcanic soil with a high mineral content [4]. The endosperm makes up approximately 85% of the mass of the mature grain [5]
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