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Promotion of Seed Germination by Nitrate, Nitrite, Hydroxylamine, and Ammonium Salts ¹

^a Agricultural Environmental Quality Institute, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705

Action and uptake of azides, nitrates, nitrites, hydroxylamines, and ammonium salts were measured on germination of Amaranthus albus, Lactuca sativa, Phleum pratense, Barbarea vulgaris, B. verna, and Setaria glauca seeds. Nitrate and nitrite reductase activities were measured in vivo for each of these kinds of seeds. Activities were measured in vitro for catalase, peroxidase, glycolate oxidase, and pyridine nucleotide quinone reductase on extracts of A. albus and L. sativa seeds before and after germination. The enzymic activities measured and the responsiveness of the haemproteins to inhibition by the several compounds indicate that nitrites, azides, and hydroxylamines promote seed germination by inhibition of H₂O₂ decomposition by catalase. Ammonium salts showed pronounced promotive activity only for B. verna and B. vulgaris seeds, for which they served as metabolic substrates.

The promotion of germination is thought to depend on coupling of peroxidase action to NADPH oxidation, which can regulate the pentose pathway of D-glucose 6-phosphate use. Pyridine nucleotide quinone reductase is the possible coupling enzyme. This enzyme and others required for the action are present in the seeds before imbibition of water.

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