In-storage losses of seed vigor, i.e., aging, that occur between harvest
and planting may leave soybeans essentially worthless as seed. Peroxidation
of lipids, with resultant loss of membrane integrity, is theorized to be a primary
event in seed aging. Lipid antioxidants might have the potential to protect dry
seed by neutralizing free radicals, which propagate lipid peroxidation and other
destructive events. Seed were treated with antioxidants in dimethyl sulfoxide
(DMSO) to investigate possible protective effects of antioxidants during storage
and thus also provide evidence for the lipid peroxidation model of seed aging.
The toxicity of DMSO to soybean seed was found to be minimal at
treatment times of 15 min or less. Seed were treated for 15 min with 0, 5, 25,
and 50 mM solutions in DMSO of propyl gallate (PG), butylated hydroxyanisore
(BHA), butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT), and tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ).
Germination, seed leakage, seedli,ng vigor, and phospholipids in the embryonic
axis were monitored following storage at 40 C for up to 90 days.
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