Abbreviations: ABA, abscisic acid; BSA, bovine serum albumin; CAP, micropylar area around the radicle emergence point or endosperm cap; DAB, diaminobenzidine; DEAE, diethylaminoethyl; IgG, immunoglobulin G; LAT, lateral coat plus endosperm; LBG, locust bean gum; ηsp, specific viscosity; PBS, phosphate buffer saline; pI, isoelectric point; RAD, radicle tip; SDS-PAGE, sodium dodecyl sulfate polya...

Establishment of seedlings at early growth stages of crop plants as one of the most important determinants of high yield is severely affected by soil salinity. Therefore, high germination rate and vigorous early growth under saline soils is preferred. In this study 15 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars were used to investigate the effects of three salinity concentrations including 4, 8 and ...

In drought temperate forest, seedling recruitment is highly dependent on seed burial by native animal dispersers. To prolong seed storage, animals often take measures to impede seed germination. Aiming to understand the strategic balance between the natural seed germination and the role played by animals in the constraint germination procedures, we investigated the stages on the germinated acor...

The endo-β-mannanase (MAN) family is represented in the Arabidopsis genome by eight members, all with canonical signal peptides and only half of them being expressed in germinating seeds. The transcripts of these genes were localized in the radicle and micropylar endosperm (ME) before radicle protrusion and this expression disappears as soon as the endosperm is broken by the emerging radicle ti...

Low temperatures at the initial stages of rice development prevent fast germination and seedling establishment and may cause significant productivity losses. In order to develop rice cultivars exhibiting cold tolerance, it is necessary to investigate genetic resources, providing basic knowledge to allow the introduction of genes involved in low temperature germination ability from accessions in...

Twelve essential oils from Mediterranean aromatic plants were tested for their phytotoxic activity, at different doses, against the germination and the initial radicle growth of seeds of Raphanus sativus, Lactuca sativa and Lepidium sativum. The essential oils were obtained from Hyssopus officinalis, Lavandula angustifolia, Majorana hortensis, Melissa officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum vul...

Seedlings establishment at early growth stages of crop plants is severely affected by soil salinity. Therefore, high germination rate and vigorous early growth under salty soils is preferred. In this study germination and seedling growth of a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar was assessed using three replicates of 50 seeds in a factorial laid out in two separate experiments as Completely Ra...

Cytotoxic properties of plant extracts and drugs being developed for cancer treatment are usually evaluated by a variety of in vivo and in vitro tests carried out in animal or plant based models. In the present study we have evaluated the possibility of using the germinating mung beans (Vigna radiata), for rapid and inexpensive screening of drugs exhibiting cytotoxic properties. Mung beans were...

The present study aimed the evaluation of allelopathic effect of hydroalcoholic extract from the roots of Mikania scandens (L.) Willd. (Asteraceae); against the germination and radicle growth of Cicer arietinum and Triticum aestivum seeds. The extract at different concentrations was incubated in controlled conditions with the surface sterilized seeds of C. arietinum and T. aestivum and observed...

The present study aimed the evaluation of allelopathic effect of aqueous extract of coffee (Coffea arabica) against germination and radicle growth of Cicer arietinum and Triticum aestivum seeds. The extract at different concentrations was incubated in controlled conditions with the surface sterilized seeds of C. arietinum and T. aestivum and observed periodically for seed germination and radicl...