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Breaking dormancy of Stylosanthes humilis seeds with selenium compounds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2008

Frank James Araújo Pinheiro
Affiliation:
Depto. de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-000, MG, Brazil
Raimundo Santos Barros*
Affiliation:
Depto. de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-000, MG, Brazil
Tales Graciano Coelho
Affiliation:
Depto. de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-000, MG, Brazil
Braulio Maia de Lana Souza
Affiliation:
Depto. de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-000, MG, Brazil
*
*Correspondence Fax: +55 31 3899 2580 Email: rsbarros@ufv.br

Abstract

The soluble selenium (Se) compounds selenic acid, selenious acid, selenium dioxide, selenium tetrachloride, selenomethionine, selenourea, sodium selenate and sodium selenite broke the dormancy of scarified seeds of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis HBK). Given the chemical diversity of all these molecules, it could be deduced that Se may act as a dormancy-breaking agent of Townsville stylo seeds. Se-stimulated seeds produced great amounts of both ethylene and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, which correlated with the process of germination. As specific inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis and action largely depressed this Se-stimulated germination, it was concluded that Se broke dormancy by triggering ethylene production by the seeds.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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