Molecular genetic bases of seed resistance to oxidative stress during storage

Abstract

Conservation of plant genetic diversity, including economically important crops, is the foundation for food safety. About 90 % of the world’s crop genetic diversity is stored as seeds in genebanks. During storage seeds suffer physiological stress consequences, one of which is the accumulation of free radicals, primarily reactive oxygen species (ROS). An increase in ROS leads to oxidative stress, which negatively affects the quality of seeds and can lead to a complete loss of their viability. The review summarizes data on biochemical processes that affect seed longevity. The data on the destructive effect of free radicals towards plant cell macromolecules are analyzed, and the ways to eliminate excessive ROS in plants, the most important of which is the glutathioneascorbate pathway, are discussed. The relationship between seed dormancy and seed longevity is examined. Studying seeds of different plant species revealed a negative correlation between seed dormancy and longevity, while various authors who researched Arabidopsis seeds reported both positive and negative correlations between dormancy and seed longevity. A negative correlation between seed dormancy and viability probably means that seeds are able to adapt to changing environmental conditions. This review provides a summary of Arabidopsis genes associated with seed viability. By now, a significant number of loci and genes affecting seed longevity have been identified. This review contains a synopsis of modern studies on the viability of barley seeds. QTLs associated with barley seed longevity were identified on chromosomes 2H, 5H and 7H. In the QTL regions studied, the Zeo1, Ale, nud, nadp-me, and HvGR genes were identified. However, there is still no definite answer as to which genes would serve as markers of seed viability in a certain plant species.