© 1991 Heron Publishing—Victoria, Canada
Metabolic changes related to the acceleration of jack pine germination by osmotic priming
Jacqueline Bourgeois and L. Malek
Department of Biology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada P7B 5E1 / Received August 14, 1990
Summary
Jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) seeds were primed in 10% (w/w) polyethylene glycol 8000 for 2–6 days and their germination, as well as soluble protein,
amino acid, and ATP contents compared with unprimed germinating seeds. Primed seed germinated about 2 days earlier than unprimed
seed and had a high ATP content early in the priming period. Pepstatin-sensitive acid proteinase activity, which was high
even in dry seeds, correlated poorly with germination in primed seed.
