Germination rate of maize (Zea maysL.) kernels. II. Relationships with respiration rate and adenosine triphosphate content

摘要

Germination rate of freshly harvested, undeteriorated seed lots of maize was found to be positively correlated with rate of oxygen uptake of kernels and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content of embryos, at 6 and 12 h of incubation. Respiration rate was positively correlated with water content of the embryos, and ATP content with the water content of kernels and embryos, at these sampling times. The results suggest that germination rate of freshly harvested, undeteriorated seed lots of maize is a function of the hydration rate of the kernels (especially the embryos) with higher rates of hydration leading to an earlier engagement of energy-supplying metabolism.