A Comparison of Changes in the Germination Responses and Phospholipid Composition of Naturally and Artificially Aged Tomato Seeds

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Abstract
The changes in germinability and phospholipid content of naturally and artificially aged tomato seeds, variety Kingley Cross, were compared. Subsequent low temperature pre-sowing treatment (LTPST) was unable to prevent decreases in the germination capacity of aged samples, but significantly improved germination rates. However, in contrast to previous studies on artificial ageing using the variety Moneymaker, losses of total phospholipid were not always well correlated with decreased germinability. Total phospholipid levels in naturally aged seeds were largely unaffected by pre-sowing treatment, but the proportion of phosphatidylcholine was greatly increased. These results strongly suggest that losses of phospholipid are coincidental rather than causative events in the loss of seed viability during ageing, and that the pattern of changes depends on the type of ageing experienced by the seeds.