Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The deterioration of Moringa oleifera Lam. seeds in the course of storage involves reserve degradation

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Acta Physiologiae Plantarum Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Seed deterioration in the course of storage may involve hydrolytic reactions. Hence, we aimed to evaluate viability, vigour, contents of reserves and metabolites, and activities of hydrolytic enzymes in Moringa oleifera Lam. seeds during storage under controlled conditions. Seeds were packaged in semipermeable plastic and maintained in a growth chamber (27 ± 2 °C and RH 60–65%) and under refrigeration (4 ± 2 °C and RH 20–25%) for 18 months. Samples were taken at the start of the experiment and every 3 months. During the first 12 months, water content, viability, and vigour remained almost unaffected, while the content of neutral lipids, starch, soluble sugars and free amino acids did not reduce in the seeds kept under refrigeration. After this period, the loss of viability and vigour was accompanied by the degradation of storage lipids, storage proteins, and non-reducing sugars associated with the increase of lipase and acid protease activity in both environmental conditions. As the seed water content remained below 8% in the course of the experiment, we suggest that non-enzymatic hydrolysis might play a role in the deterioration of M. oleifera seeds during storage. At least for planting, we recommend that M. oleifera seeds be kept at low relative humidity under refrigeration for up to 12 months.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

DW:

Dry weight

FW:

Fresh weight

FFA:

Free fatty acids

ISTA:

International Seed Testing Association

MGT:

Mean germination time

NL:

Neutral lipids

NRS:

Non-reducing sugars

RH:

Relative humidity

SP:

Soluble proteins

TFAA:

Total free amino acids

TSS:

Total soluble sugars

References

  • Abbade LC, Takaki M (2014) Biochemical and physiological changes of Tabebuia roseoalba (Ridl.) Sandwith (Bignoniaceae) seeds under storage. J Seed Sci 36:100–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • AOAC—Association of Official Analytical Chemists (2000) Official methods of analysis of AOAC International, 17th edn. AOAC, Washington, p 2200

    Google Scholar 

  • Bailly C, El-Maarouf-Bouteau H, Corbineau F (2008) From intracellular signaling networks to cell death: the dual role of reactive oxygen species in seed physiology. C R Biol 331:806–814

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bao J, Sha S, Zhang S (2011) Changes in germinability, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme activities in pear stock (Pyrus betulaefolia Bge.) seeds during room- and low-temperature storage. Acta Physiol Plant 33:2035–2040

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beevers L (1968) Protein degradation and proteolytic activity in the cotyledons of germinating pea seeds (Pisum sativum). Phytochemistry 7:1837–1844

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bewley JD, Bradford KJ, Hilhorst HWM, Nonogaki H (2013) Seeds: physiology of development, germination and dormancy, 3rd edn. Springer, New York, p 392

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bezerra AME, Momenté VG, Medeiros Filho S (2004) Seed germination and development of moringa seedlings (Moringa oleifera Lam.) as a function of seed weight and substrate type. Hort Bras 22:295–299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Black M, Bewley JD, Halmer P (2006) The encyclopedia of seeds: science, technology and uses. CAB International, Wallingford, p 900

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford MM (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal Biochem 72:248–254

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cabiscol E, Tamarit J, Ros J (2014) Proteomics, specificity and relevance to ageing. Mass Spectrom Rev 33:21–48

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Castellión M, Matiacevich S, Buera P, Maldonado S (2010) Protein deterioration and longevity of quinoa seeds during long-term storage. Food Chem 121:952–958

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corte VB, Borges EEL, Leite HG, Leite ITA (2010) Physiological quality of Melanoxylon brauna seeds aged naturally and artificially. Sci For 38:181–189

    Google Scholar 

  • Demidchik V (2015) Mechanisms of oxidative stress in plants: from classical chemistry to cell biology. Environ Exp Bot 109:212–228

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dias DCFS, Oliveira GL, Vallory GG, Silva LJ, Soares MM (2016) Physiological changes in Jatropha curcas L. seeds during storage. J Seed Sci 38:41–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donazzolo J, Ornellas TS, Bizzocchi L, Vilperte V, Nodari RO (2015) The cold storage prolongs the viability of feijoa seeds. Rev Bras Frutic 37:748–754

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dubois M, Gilles KA, Hamilton JK, Rebers PA, Smith F (1956) Colorimetric method for determination of sugars and related substances. Anal Chem 28:248–254

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dussert S, Davey MW, Laffargue A, Doulbeau S, Swennen R, Etienne H (2006) Oxidative stress, phospholipid loss and lipid hydrolysis during drying and storage of intermediate seeds. Physiol Plant 127:192–204

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Edmond JB, Drapala WL (1958) The effects of temperature, sand and soil, and acetone on germination of okra seed. Proc Am Soc Hort Sci 71:428–434

    Google Scholar 

  • Elarbi MB, Khemiri H, Jridi T, Hamida JB (2009) Purification and characterization of α-amylase from safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) germinating seeds. C R Biol 332:426–432

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fotouo-M H, Du Toit ES, Robbertse PJ (2016) Effect of storage conditions on Moringa oleífera Lam. seed oil: biodiesel feedstock quality. Ind Crops Prod 84:80–86

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fu YB, Ahmed Z, Diederichsen A (2015) Towards a better monitoring of seed ageing under ex situ seed conservation. Conserv Physiol. https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/cov026

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham IA (2008) Seed storage oil mobilization. Annu Rev Plant Biol 59:115–142

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guedes RS, Alves EU, Gonçalves EP, Viana JS, França PRC, Santos SS (2010) Physiological quality of Amburana cearensis (Allemão) A.C. Smith seeds stored. Cienc Agrar 31:331–342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hay FR, Probert RJ (2013) Advances in seed conservation of wild plant species: a review of recent research. Conserv Physiol. https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/cot030

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • ISTA—International Seed Testing Association (2006) The germination test. In: Muschick M (ed) International rules for seed testing 2006. ISTA, Bassersdorf, pp 51–546

    Google Scholar 

  • ISTA—International Seed Testing Association (2008) Determination of moisture content. In: Muschick M (ed) International rules for seed testing 2008. ISTA, Bassersdorf, pp 9.1–9.20

    Google Scholar 

  • Kocsy G (2015) Die or survive? Redox changes as seed viability markers. Plant Cell Environ 38:1008–1010

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar SPJ, Prasad SR, Banerjee R, Thammineni C (2015) Seed birth to death: dual functions of reactive oxygen species in seed physiology. Ann Bot 116:663–668

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marriot KM, Northcote DH (1975) The induction of enzyme activity in the endosperm of germinating castor-bean seeds. Biochem J 152:65–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martins CC, Pinto MADSC (2014) Storage of Handroanthus Umbellatus seeds. Ci Fl 24:533–539

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCready RM, Guggolz J, Silviera V, Owens HS (1950) Determination of starch and amylose in vegetables. Anal Chem 22:1156–1158

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller GL (1959) Use of dinitrosalicylic acid reagent for determination of reducing sugar. Anal Chem 31:426

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moncaleano-Escandon J, Silva BCF, Silva SRS, Granja JAA, Alves MCJL, Pompelli MF (2013) Germination responses of Jatropha curcas L. seeds to storage and ageing. Ind Crops Prod 44:684–690

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morris DL (1948) Quantitative determination of carbohydrates with Dreywood’s anthrone reagent. Science 107:111–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Müntz K (2007) Protein dynamics and proteolysis in plant vacuoles. J Exp Bot 58:2391–2407

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murthy UMN, Sun WQ (2000) Protein modification by Amadori and Maillard reactions during seed storage: roles of sugar hydrolysis and lipid peroxidation. J Exp Bot 51:1221–1228

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murthy UMN, Kumar PP, Sun WQ (2003) Mechanisms of seed ageing under different storage conditions for Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczeck: lipid peroxidation, sugar hydrolysis, Maillard reactions and their relationship to glass state transition. J Exp Bot 54:1057–1067

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver AE, Hincha DK, Crowe JH (2002) Looking beyond sugars: the role of amphiphilic solutes in preventing adventitious reactions in anhydrobiotes at low water content. Comp Biochem Physiol 131:515–525

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parkhey S, Naithani SC, Keshavkant S (2014) Protein metabolism during natural ageing in desiccating recalcitrant seeds of Shorea robusta. Acta Physiol Plant 36:1649–1659

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peoples MB, Faizah AW, Reakasen B, Harridge DF (1989) Methods for evaluating nitrogen fixation by nodulated legumes in the field. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra

    Google Scholar 

  • Popova EA, Mironova RS, Odjakova MK (2010) Non-enzymatic glycosilation and deglycating enzymes. Biotechnol Biotechnol Equip 24:1928–1935

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shaban M (2013) Review on physiological aspects of seed deterioration. Int J Agric Crop Sci 6:627–631

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Silva JPV, Serra TM, Gossman M, Wolf CR, Meneghetti MR, Meneghetti SMP (2010) Moringa oleifera oil: studies of characterization and biodiesel production. Biomass Bioenergy 24:1526–1530

    Google Scholar 

  • Silva DG, Carvalho MLM, Nery MC, Oliveira LM, Caldeira CM (2011) Physiological and biochemical properties changes during storage of Tabebuia serratifolia seeds. Cerne 17:1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strelec I, Ugarcic-Hardi Z, Hlevnjak M (2008) Accumulation of Amadori and Maillard products in wheat seeds aged under different storage conditions. Croatica Chemi Acta 81:131–137

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tan-Wilson AL, Wilson KA (2012) Mobilization of seed protein reserves. Physiol Plant 145:140–153

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Handel E (1968) Direct microdetermination of sucrose. Anal Biochem 22:280–283

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Veselova TV, Veselovsky VA, Obroucheva NV (2015) Deterioration mechanisms in air-dry pea seeds during early ageing. Plant Physiol Biochem 87:133–139

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Veselovsky VA, Veselova TV (2012) Lipid peroxidation, carbohydrate hydrolysis, and Amadori–Maillard reaction at early stages of dry seed ageing. Russ J Plant Physiol 59:811–817

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Walters C, Ballesteros D, Vertucci VA (2010) Structural mechanics of seed deterioration: standing the test of time. Plant Sci 179:565–573

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wettlaufer SH, Leopold AC (1991) Relevance of Amadori and Maillard products to seed deterioration. Plant Physiol 97:165–169

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for the fellowships and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte and CNPq (Process 446179/2014-0) for funding. Much of this article is part of the M.Sc. thesis by the first author.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biologia Celular e Genética, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universitário, Lagoa Nova, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, CEP 59072-910, Brazil

    Danilo Flademir Alves de Oliveira, Saniely Maria Bezerra de Melo, Ana Paula Avelino, Cristiane Elizabeth Costa de Macêdo, Mauro Vasconcelos Pacheco & Eduardo Luiz Voigt

Authors
  1. Danilo Flademir Alves de Oliveira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Saniely Maria Bezerra de Melo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ana Paula Avelino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Cristiane Elizabeth Costa de Macêdo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mauro Vasconcelos Pacheco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Eduardo Luiz Voigt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eduardo Luiz Voigt.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Communicated by S. Weidner.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

de Oliveira, D.F.A., de Melo, S.M.B., Avelino, A.P. et al. The deterioration of Moringa oleifera Lam. seeds in the course of storage involves reserve degradation. Acta Physiol Plant 39, 269 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-017-2572-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-017-2572-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation