SCUTELLAR AMYLASE ACTIVITY IN NATURALLY AGED AND ACCELERATED AGED WHEAT SEEDS

Scutellum extracts of dry unaged and differentially aged wheat seeds showed appreciable a and β amylase activities, these being higher in unaged and lower in aged seeds. This indicates that scutellar amylase may remain long-lived in seeds. During germination of both unaged and aged seeds an increase in scutellar amylase (particularly β) occurs. Initiation of this germination associated increase in amylase activity, however, was found to occur relatively late during imbibition. Further, while scutellar amylase increased considerably during imbibition m unaged seeds, in differentially aged seeds the increase was small. This also contributes to the reduced scutellar amylase activities in aged seeds. © 1992 Annals of Botany Company.