A dual rôle for the endosperm and its galactomannan reserves in the germinative physiology of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecumL.), an endospermic leguminous seed
✍ Scribed by J. S. Grant Reid; J. Derek Bewley
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag
- Year
- 1979
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 645 KB
- Volume
- 147
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0032-0935
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✦ Synopsis
Some 30% of the reserve material in the fenugreek seed is galactomannan localised in the endosperm; the remainder is mainly protein and lipid in the cotyledons of the embryo. The importance of galactomannan to the germinative physiology of fenugreek has been investigated by comparing intact and endosperm-free seeds. From a purely nutritional point of view the galactomannan's r61e is not qualitatively different from that of the food reserves in the embryo. Nevertheless, due to its spatial location and its hydrophilic properties, the galactomannan is the molecular basis of a mechanism whereby the endosperm imbibes a large quantity of water during seed hydration and is able to "buffer" the germinating embryo against desiccation during subsequent periods of droughtstress. The galactomannan is clearly a dual-purpose polysaccharide, regulating water-balance during germination and serving as a substrate reserve for the developing seedling following germination. The relative importance of these two r61es is discussed.