Abstract
Main conclusionModulation of the gaseous environment using oxygen absorbers and/or silica gel shows potential for enhancing seed longevity through trapping toxic volatiles emitted by seeds during artificial ageing.Volatile profiling using non-invasive gas chromatography–mass spectrometry provides insight into the specific processes occurring during seed ageing. Production of alcohols, aldehydes and ketones, derived from processes such as alcoholic fermentation, lipid peroxidation and Maillard reactions, are known to be dependent on storage temperature and relative humidity, but little is known about the potential modulating role of the gaseous environment, which also affects seed lifespan, on volatile production. Seeds of Lolium perenne (Poaceae), Agrostemma githago (Caryophyllaceae) and Pisum sativum (Fabaceae) were aged under normal atmospheric oxygen conditions and in sealed vials containing either oxygen absorbers, oxygen absorbers and silica gel (equilibrated at 60% RH), or silica gel alone. Seeds of A. githago that were aged in the absence of oxygen maintained higher viability and produced fewer volatiles than seeds aged in air. In addition, seeds of A. githago and L. perenne aged in the presence of silica gel were longer lived than those aged without silica, with no effect on seed moisture content or oxygen concentration in the storage containers, but with silica gel acting as a volatile trap. These results indicate that the use of inexpensive oxygen absorbers and silica gel could improve seed longevity in storage for some species and suggests a potential, and previously unidentified, role for silica gel in ultra-dry storage.
Highlights
The effects of temperature and moisture on seed longevity in storage have been well characterised, and in general, the life span of orthodox, desiccation tolerant, seeds increases as temperature and moisture content decrease, within certain limits (Dickie et al 1990; Ellis et al 1990)
Research into the process of seed deterioration during storage has indicated the involvement of reactive oxygen species and accumulation of oxidative damage to cellular macromolecules e.g. lipids, proteins and nucleic acids, which eventually leads to loss of cell function and seed death
Seeds of L. perenne L. and A. githago L. were obtained from Emorsgate Seeds (King’s Lynn, Norfolk, UK) and P. sativum ‘Meteor’ seeds were purchased from CN Seeds Ltd (Pymoor, UK)
Summary
The effects of temperature and moisture on seed longevity in storage have been well characterised, and in general, the life span of orthodox, desiccation tolerant, seeds increases as temperature and moisture content decrease, within certain limits (Dickie et al 1990; Ellis et al 1990). This does not hold true for all species, under ultra-dry conditions (Ballesteros and Walters 2011). Comparisons of hermetic storage and open storage at a range of seed moisture contents showed that longevity was higher in hermetic storage for seeds with low moisture content, and the difference is likely due to the limited availability of oxygen in hermetic storage (Ellis and Hong 2007)
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