Abstract:
Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum L.) is one of the important vegetable crops in China.
However, the seeds of this crop are short-lived and their vitality tends to be easily lost in
the course of storage. The present study was conducted to elucidate the effects of welsh
onion seed priming with potassium nitrate (KNO3
) on seed vigor and on other such
related mechanisms during twelve months of storage. The priming treatment improved
the germination rate and vigor index of welsh onion. Membrane deterioration of welsh
onion seeds was significantly alleviated by the priming treatments, as assayed by using
soluble sugar content and electrical conductivity of the seed leachates. The accumulation
of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2
) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in primed seeds was reduced
compared with non-primed seeds. The increased activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as
dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) in primed seeds
correlated with seed vigor and lipid peroxidation. This study provided the theoretical
basis for improving the initial quality of welsh onion seeds using KNO3 priming.
Keywords: Antioxidant enzymes, Lipid peroxidation.
