Qualidade fisiológica e atividade enzimática em sementes de pimenta habanero durante o armazenamento

Abstract

The expansion of the pepper market has contributed to this being one of the most important olerículas of Brazilian agribusiness. However one of the main limitations of this expansion is the supply in the seed market with high quality. In pepper seeds, slow and irregular germination is generally observed, which hampers cultural practices, as well as increasing costs and production. In this work the physiological quality and expression of enzymes in habanero pepper seeds (Capsicum chinense Jacquim) were evaluated during storage. Habanero pepper seeds stored for different periods (1 to 21 weeks), stored in a cold room at 10 ° C and 40% relative humidity, were submitted to germination and vigor tests to evaluate the physiological quality of the seeds. Expression of enzymes responsible for the mobilization of reserves (esterase, isocitrate lyase and endo-β-mannanase), those linked to respiration (malate dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase) and enzymes with antioxidant activity (catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase ), using the technique of electrophoresis. The best results of the physiological quality, evaluated through the tests of germination and first count of germination were in seeds stored for 20 weeks. In view of these results, it was inferred that the seeds were dormant until the 20th week of storage. The activities of enzymes endo-β-mannanase, isocitrate lyase, esterase, peroxidase, catalase, malate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase vary in pepper seeds stored for different periods. There was no significant variation of endo-β-mannanase enzyme expression in seeds stored for different periods.