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Volume 14
Issue 15
10.3390/plants14152301
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Exogenous Sucrose Improves the Vigor of Aged Safflower Seeds by Mediating Fatty Acid Metabolism and Glycometabolism

by
Tang Lv
1,2,†,
Lin Zhong
1,2,†,
Juan Li
1,2,
Cuiping Chen
1,2,
Bin Xian
1,2,
Tao Zhou
1,2,
Chaoxiang Ren
1,2,
Jiang Chen
1,2,
Jin Pei
1,2,* and
Jie Yan
1,2,*
1
State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
2
College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Plants 2025, 14(15), 2301; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14152301
Submission received: 16 June 2025 / Revised: 17 July 2025 / Accepted: 23 July 2025 / Published: 25 July 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Regulation of Seed Development and Germination)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) seeds, rich in triacylglycerols, have poor fatty acid-to-sugar conversion during storage, affecting longevity and vigor. Previous experiments have shown that the aging of safflower seeds is mainly related to the impairment of energy metabolism pathways such as glycolysis, fatty acid degradation, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. The treatment with exogenous sucrose can partially promote the germination of aged seeds. However, the specific pathways through which exogenous sucrose promotes the germination of aged safflower seeds have not yet been elucidated. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanism by which exogenous sucrose enhances the vitality of aged seeds. Phenotypically, it promoted germination and seedling establishment in CDT-aged seeds but not in unaged ones. Biochemical analyses revealed increased soluble sugars and fatty acids in aged seeds with sucrose treatment. Enzyme activity and transcriptome sequencing showed up-regulation of key enzymes and genes in related metabolic pathways in aged seeds, not in unaged ones. qPCR confirmed up-regulation of genes for triacylglycerol and fatty acid-to-sugar conversion. Transmission electron microscopy showed a stronger connection between the glyoxylate recycler and oil bodies, accelerating oil body degradation. In conclusion, our research shows that exogenous sucrose promotes aged safflower seed germination by facilitating triacylglycerol hydrolysis, fatty acid conversion, and glycometabolism, rather than simply serving as a source of energy to supplement the energy deficiency of aged seeds. These findings offer practical insights for aged seeds, especially offering an effective solution to the aging problem of seeds with high oil content.
Keywords: aged safflower seed; exogenous sucrose; differentially expression genes; glycometabolism; germination; controlled deterioration treatment aged safflower seed; exogenous sucrose; differentially expression genes; glycometabolism; germination; controlled deterioration treatment

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Lv, T.; Zhong, L.; Li, J.; Chen, C.; Xian, B.; Zhou, T.; Ren, C.; Chen, J.; Pei, J.; Yan, J. Exogenous Sucrose Improves the Vigor of Aged Safflower Seeds by Mediating Fatty Acid Metabolism and Glycometabolism. Plants 2025, 14, 2301. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14152301

AMA Style

Lv T, Zhong L, Li J, Chen C, Xian B, Zhou T, Ren C, Chen J, Pei J, Yan J. Exogenous Sucrose Improves the Vigor of Aged Safflower Seeds by Mediating Fatty Acid Metabolism and Glycometabolism. Plants. 2025; 14(15):2301. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14152301

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lv, Tang, Lin Zhong, Juan Li, Cuiping Chen, Bin Xian, Tao Zhou, Chaoxiang Ren, Jiang Chen, Jin Pei, and Jie Yan. 2025. "Exogenous Sucrose Improves the Vigor of Aged Safflower Seeds by Mediating Fatty Acid Metabolism and Glycometabolism" Plants 14, no. 15: 2301. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14152301

APA Style

Lv, T., Zhong, L., Li, J., Chen, C., Xian, B., Zhou, T., Ren, C., Chen, J., Pei, J., & Yan, J. (2025). Exogenous Sucrose Improves the Vigor of Aged Safflower Seeds by Mediating Fatty Acid Metabolism and Glycometabolism. Plants, 14(15), 2301. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14152301

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