Antioxidant depletion during seed storage under ambient conditions

Abstract Cumulative oxidative damage from the unavoidable formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) contributes to seed ageing. Low-molecular-weight (LMW) antioxidants, such as water-soluble glutathione (GSH) and lipid-soluble tocochromanols, can prevent ROS causing damage, especially when antioxidant enzymes are inactive due desiccation. However, loss tocochromanols does not always accompany ageing, during accelerated ageing or controlled deterioration, despite presence prevalent GSH. To assess relationships between total germination (TG) changes under storage conditions with practical relevance, commercial seeds Cucumis sativus , Daucus carota Helianthus cucumerifolius Latuca sativa Lepidium sativum Phaseolus vulgaris Raphinus same cultivar were obtained over multiple years stored ambient (21.9 ± 2.1°C; 36.8 6.6% relative humidity). Sigmoidal fitting TG revealed time 50% had lost viability, which ranged <5 ( D. ) >15 C. ). Cellular redox states quantified via half-cell reduction potential LMW thiol/disulphide couples. These negatively correlated (i.e. cell more oxidized in lots lower TG), an average R 2 value 0.62 for most abundant thiol (GSH, ?-glutamyl-cysteine P. Concentrations positively TG, 0.50 tocochromanol (? ? L. H. Therefore, viability leading cytoplasm having a glassy state, lipid domain all experienced damage.