THE ACTIVITY OF -AMYLASE AND PEROXIDASE DURING GERMINATION OF SOME MAIZE CARYOPSES WITH DIFFERENT VIABILITIES

Abstract

The paper examines, during pregermination and germination (after 48 and 96 hours), the activity of a-amylase and peroxidase in endospermum of maize caryopses with different viabilities (germination percentages) to emphasize what is the relationship between maize viability and activity of these enzymes, which belong to two different classes: oxidoreductases and hydrolases. The biological material, used in this work, was represented by six samples of maize caryopses belonging to a local variety, whose germination percentages (G%) were between 34% and 95%. The data derived from experiences show that samples with G ≥ 70% registered after 48 hours or after 96 hours of germination, growth between 18% and 242% of the activity of α-amylase, compared with the period before germination (0 h).  At samples with G ≤ 70% the α-amylase activity registered either increases with maximum 18% o reductions between 1% and 24%.  The peroxidase activity has risen after 48 and 96 hours of germination, versus run-up (0 hours), also in the samples with FG ≥ 70%, but there was smaller (8% to 107%). In trials with FG ≤ 70% the enzyme activity has recorded either increases between 12% and 18%, or fall between 8% and 32%. Corelaţiile între viabilitate şi activitatea peroxidazei, respectiv a a-amilazei cariopselor de porumb analizate au arătat că doar valorile activităţii peroxidazei în timpul germinaţiei au fost în relaţie directă cu viabilitatea cariopselor. Correlation between caryopses viability and activity of peroxidase, respectively a-amylase, have shown that only the peroxidase activity values during germination were into a direct relationship with caryopses viability. The caryopses structural and functional damages, shown, indirectly, through their viability reduction, have influenced the both enzymes, leading to the decrease of their activity in samples with low germinations.