Relationship between Seed Germination and Catalase Enzyme Activity of Abies taxa from Turkey

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in various aspects of seed physiology. Their generation, whichoccurs during seed desiccation, germination and ageing, may lead to oxidative stress and cellular damage,resulting in seed deterioration. However, cells are endowed with detoxifying enzymes and antioxidantcompounds that scavenge ROS and participate in seed survival. The detoxifying mechanisms play a key role incompletion of seed germination and seed storability. The enzyme catalase has been employed for determiningviability of seeds. The plan of the present work was to explore the relationship between catalase activity andgermination of four Abies taxa. For this purpose, seeds which belong to four Abies taxa (Abies nordmannianasubsp. equi-troj ani, A. cilicica, A. nordmanniana ssp. bornmuelleriana, A. nordmanniana ssp. nordmanniana)collected from different provenances in 2010 and 2011 harvesting years were used. Germination percentages andcatalase enzyme activities of different Abies taxa were measured. Our results demonstrate that Abies seeds haddifferent germination percentage and catalase enzyme activity. Abies nordmanniana subsp. equi-troj ani seedswhich are collected from Edremit-Gürgendag have higher germination percentage and catalase activity(P<0.05). Other populations of Abies did not differ from each other. In a conclusion, high activity of catalaseenzyme refers to viability and quality of seed in Abies taxa.