Effects of GABA and Vigabatrin on the Germination of Chinese Chestnut Recalcitrant Seeds and Its Implications for Seed Dormancy and Storage

State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, the Chinese Academy of Forestry, 1958 Box, Beijing 100091, China

Institute for Pomology, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Changli 066600, China

College of Forestry, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China

⁴

Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, the Chinese Academy of Forestry, 1958 Box, Beijing 100091, China

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally.

Plants 2020, 9(4), 449; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9040449

Received: 19 March 2020 / Revised: 31 March 2020 / Accepted: 1 April 2020 / Published: 3 April 2020

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seed Dormancy: Molecular Control of Its Induction and Alleviation)

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Abstract

Recalcitrant chestnut seeds are rich in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which negatively regulates adventitious root development by altering carbon/nitrogen metabolism. However, little is known regarding the role of this metabolite in chestnut seeds. In this study, we investigated the effects of GABA changes on the germination of chestnut seeds treated with exogenous GABA and vigabatrin (VGB, which inhibits GABA degradation). Both treatments significantly inhibited seed germination and primary root growth and resulted in the considerable accumulation of H₂O₂, but the endogenous GABA content decreased before germination at 48 h. Soluble sugar levels increased before germination, but subsequently decreased, whereas starch contents were relatively unchanged. Changes to organic acids were observed at 120 h after sowing, including a decrease and increase in citrate and malate levels, respectively. Similarly, soluble protein contents increased at 120 h, but the abundance of most free amino acids decreased at 48 h. Moreover, the total amino acid levels increased only in response to VGB at 0 h. Accordingly, GABA and VGB altered the balance of carbon and nitrogen metabolism, thereby inhibiting chestnut seed germination. These results suggested that changes to GABA levels in chestnut seeds might prevent seed germination. The study data may also help clarify the dormancy and storage of chestnut seeds, as well as other recalcitrant seeds. View Full-Text

Keywords: chestnut; GABA; seed germination; carbon metabolism; nitrogen metabolism

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MDPI and ACS Style

Du, C.; Chen, W.; Wu, Y.; Wang, G.; Zhao, J.; Sun, J.; Ji, J.; Yan, D.; Jiang, Z.; Shi, S. Effects of GABA and Vigabatrin on the Germination of Chinese Chestnut Recalcitrant Seeds and Its Implications for Seed Dormancy and Storage. Plants 2020, 9, 449. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9040449

AMA Style

Du C, Chen W, Wu Y, Wang G, Zhao J, Sun J, Ji J, Yan D, Jiang Z, Shi S. Effects of GABA and Vigabatrin on the Germination of Chinese Chestnut Recalcitrant Seeds and Its Implications for Seed Dormancy and Storage. Plants. 2020; 9(4):449. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9040449

Chicago/Turabian Style

Du, Changjian, Wei Chen, Yanyan Wu, Guangpeng Wang, Jiabing Zhao, Jiacheng Sun, Jing Ji, Donghui Yan, Zeping Jiang, and Shengqing Shi. 2020. "Effects of GABA and Vigabatrin on the Germination of Chinese Chestnut Recalcitrant Seeds and Its Implications for Seed Dormancy and Storage" Plants 9, no. 4: 449. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9040449

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Effects of GABA and Vigabatrin on the Germination of Chinese Chestnut Recalcitrant Seeds and Its Implications for Seed Dormancy and Storage

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