The distribution of ATP within tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) embryos correlates with germination whee as total ATP concentration does not

The distribution of ATP in tomato seeds was visualized by monitoring the luminescence of frozen sections on top of a gel containing all the components of the luciferase reaction, but excluding ATP. ATP was imaged in germinating tomato seeds at intervals of 3, 6, 17, 24 and 48 h and in seeds with primary or secondary dormancy. ATP was present mainly in the embryo and concentrated in the radicle tip towards the completion of germination. In contrast to germinating seeds, ATP was distributed more evenly in dormant seeds. For germination, the ratio of ATP concentration in the radicle tip versus cotyledons was decisive, rather than the absolute concentration

Seed vigor, aging, and osmopriming affect anion and sugar leakage during imbition of maize (Zea mays L.) caryopses

Conductivity was significantly increased by aging and decreased by osmopriming of maize (Zea mays L.) caryopses. Chloride, phosphate, and sulfate were the main anions that leaked out of maize seeds; their leakage was closely related to conductivity, increased by aging, and decreased by osmopriming. The anion leakage of isolated embryos correlated closely to seed vigor and was more sensitive to aging and priming than that of the whole seed. Anion leakage may be a more sensitive measure for seed vigor than bulk conductivity readings. Aging did not increase the sugar leakage of whole seeds but significantly increased the sugar leakage of isolated embryos. Sugar leakage was not closely related to total soluble sugar content of seeds. While priming decreased seed conductivity, the decreased anion and sugar leakage of the primed seeds was mainly caused by the washing effect during priming. The total anions or sugars left in the polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution after priming and in the conductivity solution of the primed seeds was almost the same as in the conductivity solution of the unprimed seeds alone

Advances in Genetical Genomics of Plants

Natural variation provides a valuable resource to study the genetic regulation of quantitative traits. In quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses this variation, captured in segregating mapping populations, is used to identify the genomic regions affecting these traits. The identification of the causal genes underlying QTLs is a major challenge for which the detection of gene expression differences is of major importance. By combining genetics with large scale expression profiling (i.e. genetical genomics), resulting in expression QTLs (eQTLs), great progress can be made in connecting phenotypic variation to genotypic diversity. In this review we discuss examples from human, mouse, Drosophila, yeast and plant research to illustrate the advances in genetical genomics, with a focus on understanding the regulatory mechanisms underlying natural variation. With their tolerance to inbreeding, short generation time and ease to generate large families, plants are ideal subjects to test new concepts in genetics. The comprehensive resources which are available for Arabidopsis make it a favorite model plant but genetical genomics also found its way to important crop species like rice, barley and wheat. We discuss eQTL profiling with respect to cis and trans regulation and show how combined studies with other ‘omics’ technologies, such as metabolomics and proteomics may further augment current information on transcriptional, translational and metabolomic signaling pathways and enable reconstruction of detailed regulatory networks. The fast developments in the ‘omics’ area will offer great potential for genetical genomics to elucidate the genotype-phenotype relationships for both fundamental and applied research

Depth of dormancy in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) seeds is related to the progression of the cell cycle prior to the induction of dormancy

Cell cycle activities are initiated following imbibition of non-dormant seeds. However, it is not known whether cell cycle related events other than DNA replication also remain suppressed in imbibed dormant seeds. The objective of this study was to demonstrate that the transitions between the non-dormant and dormant (both primary and secondary) states are reflected in cell cycle events, such as DNA replication and the changing patterns of the microtubular cytoskeleton involved in the processes of growth and development. The present studies were conducted on seeds from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Moneymaker) that possessed primary dormancy or were manipulated to attain secondary dormancy. In addition, a non-dormant abscisic acid (ABA)-deficient mutant, sitw, was used. DNA replication, as measured by flow cytometry, and -tubulin accumulation, analysed by immunoblotting, were compared with immunocytological studies of active DNA synthesis and microtubular cytoskeleton formation. It is shown that the depth of dormancy, which distinguishes primary and secondary dormancy, may depend on the progression of the cell cycle prior to the induction of dormancy

Exploring the Natural Variation for Seedling Traits and Their link with Seed Dimensions in Tomato

The success of germination, growth and final yield of every crop depends to a large extent on the quality of the seeds used to grow the crop. Seed quality is defined as the viability and vigor attribute of a seed that enables the emergence and establishment of normal seedlings under a wide range of environments. We attempt to dissect the mechanisms involved in the acquisition of seed quality, through a combined approach of physiology and genetics. To achieve this goal we explored the genetic variation found in a RIL population of Solanum lycopersicum (cv. Moneymaker) x Solanum pimpinellifolium through extensive phenotyping of seed and seedling traits under both normal and nutrient stress conditions and root system architecture (RSA) traits under optimal conditions. We have identified 62 major QTLs on 21 different positions for seed, seedling and RSA traits in this population. We identified QTLs that were common across both conditions, as well as specific to stress conditions. Most of the QTLs identified for seedling traits co-located with seed size and seed weight QTLs and the positive alleles were mostly contributed by the S. lycopersicum parent. Co-location of QTLs for different traits might suggest that the same locus has pleiotropic effects on multiple traits due to a common mechanistic basis. We show that seed weight has a strong effect on seedling vigor and these results are of great importance for the isolation of the corresponding genes and elucidation of the underlying mechanisms

Embryonic dormancy in seeds of Bactris gasipaes Kunth (peach-palm)

Bactris gasipaes is a domesticated palm whose fruits are of great importance for the Amazonian people and whose heart of palm is also receiving economic interest in other brazilian and Latin America regions. The aim of this study was verify embryonic dormancy and its correlation with first cataphyll emergence in B. gasipaes seeds collected from four plants at Manaus city and four others at Coari city, both in the Amazonas state, Brazil. After extraction and cleaning, some of the seeds (4 replications of 25 per plant) were sown in a seedbed with a sawdust and sand mixture as substrate, and embryos (4 replications of 10 per plant), after extraction, were inoculated into half strength Murashige and Skoog cultures. Were used 100 seeds and 40 embryo per treatment. Whole seed and embryo germination varied between the different source plants and locations, with the greatest difference observed for the emergence of first cataphyll from seeds in the seedbed. For the most part of variables, results of seed and embryo were positively associated, namely, as one went up the other also, and vice versa. These results suggesting that, at least in part, seed dormancy in Bactris gasipaes is associated with embryonic dormancy. © 2017, Associacao Brasileira de Tecnologia de Sementes. All rights reserved