Correlation between ascorbate peroxidase activity and some anomalies of seedlings from aged caryopses of Dasypyrum villosum (L.) Borb

Dasypyrum villosum (L.) Borb. produces two types of caryopses in the same ear: some are <<clear>> and slightly larger, others <<dark>> and smaller. In this paper we demonstrate that the germination capacity of <<clear>> caryopses drops strongly during aging and some anomalies appear in the seedlings. On the contrary, the <<dark>> caryopses maintain an elevated germination capacity for a long time and normal seedlings are formed. Analysis of the ascorbic acid system shows that caryopsis aging does not affect either AA biosynthesis or AFR reductase activity; a drop in DHA reductase activity, similar in both seedlings from <<clear>> and <<dark>> caryopses, is observed. AA peroxidase activity, which is high and similar in both seedlings, strongly decreases in the <<clear>> ones during caryopsis aging, while remaining unchanged in the seedlings from the aged <<dark>> caryopses. A possible correlation between AA peroxidase decrease and the anomalies occurring in the seedlings from aged <<clear>> caryopses is indicated.