Abstract:
Objective Physiological changes in seeds of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua during stratification under natural climatic conditions were investigated.
Method Mature P. cyrtonema seeds were stratified in wet sand under natural climatic changes for 5 months from postharvest to massive germination. Contents of accumulated substances, related enzyme activities, and endogenous hormones in the seeds were continuously monitored.
Result The seed cellulose content was higher than starch, i.e., 263.5mg·g−1 vs. 85.4mg·g−1 , in the beginning of stratification but degraded continuously to provide energy in dormancy and for germination. The content of soluble sugar (SS) increased significantly on 23-01-2020 and after germination, while that of soluble protein (SP) increased significantly on 23-01-2020 and decreased rapidly after germination. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) peaked on 23-01-2020, those of α-amylase and β-amylase correlated with the soluble sugar content, and that of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (6-PGDH) decreased significantly before germination and increased significantly afterward. In contrast, the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide kinase (NADK) activity significantly negatively correlated with 6-PGDH . On the accumulated chemicals, jasmonates increased alternately in the period prior to and middle of stratification and then decreased; isopentenyl adenosine (IPA), kinetin (K), trans zeatin (tZ), cis zeatin (cZ), dihydrozeatin (dh-z), methyl Indole-3-acetate (ME-IAA), and abscisic acid (ABA) decreased continuously; isoopentenyl adenine (IP), trans zeatin nucleoside (tZR), indole-3-formaldehyde (ICA), and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) decreased continuously before germination and increased rapidly after germination; gibberellin A7 (GA7) and 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid (ACC) increased during stratification and rapidly after germination; and salicylic acid (SA) increased rapidly after germination.
Conclusion Starch and cellulose were the main metabolites of P. cyrtonema seeds under stratification. The activities of protective enzymes and the contents of SS and SP were constantly changing to adapt to the environmental conditions in preparation for germination. Jasmonates, auxins, and ABA jointly promoted the seed dormancy, ACC and GA7 released dormancy for germination, while ICA, IAA, IP, TZR, and SA stimulated germination.