Effects of Different Storage Conditions on Physiological and Biochemical Characteristics of Polygala tenuifolia Willd. Seeds

[Objectives] Taking Polygala tenuifolia Willd. seeds as experimental material, the changes of physiological and biochemical characteristics of seeds under different storage temperatures and seed moisture contents were studied. [Methods] The seeds of P. tenuifolia Willd. with moisture contents of 3%, 5% and 15% were stored at-10 ℃, 0 ℃, 20 ℃ and 36 ℃, respectively, and the storage time was one year. The physiological and biochemical characteristics of the seeds, such as conductivity, SOD activity, POD activity, and soluble sugar content were studied.[Results] After one-year storage, as the storage temperature and seed moisture content increased, the relative conductivity, MDA content and soluble sugar content of P. tenuifolia Willd. seeds increased, while the SOD activity, POD activity, and protein content declined. This phenomenon was most obvious in the P. tenuifolia Willd. seeds with moisture content of 15%. [Conclusions] This study will provide reference for seed storage of medicinal plants.