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Lipid autoxidation and seed ageing: putative relationships between seed longevity and lipid stability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

R. T. Ponquett
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Natal, Durban 4001Republic of South Africa
M. T. Smith*
Affiliation:
UN/FRD Research Unit for Plant Growth and Development, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg 3200, Republic of South Africa
G. Ross
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Natal, Durban 4001Republic of South Africa
*
* Correspondence

Abstract

On the premise that seed ageing may be largely a result of free-radical lipid autoxidation, a study was made of the relationship between lipid stability and longevity in seeds of soybean (Glycine max), lentil (Lens culinaris), mungbean (Vigna radiata), chickpea (Cicer arietinum), broadbean (Vicia faba), pea (Pisum sativum), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). Seed lipids were examined for α-, γ- and δ-tocopherols, and levels of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids. Using this information, analysis was attempted using linear, multiplicative or exponential models to correlate aspects of lipid stability with seed longevity values from the published literature. No statistically significant correlations could be found between longevity and total lipid unsaturation, tocopherol levels or two protection formulae obtained from the oil chemistry literature. When values for tomato were excluded, a good correlation (r = 0.89, P = 0.007) was obtained using a multiplicative regression model for levels of linolenic acid per unit of total tocopherols in relation to longevity. Possible factors contributing to a lessening of the relationship between lipid stability and seed longevity are discussed.

Type
Short Communication
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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Footnotes

1

Present address Biology Department, University of Natal, King George V Avenue, Durban 4001, Republic of South Africa

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