Polyamine Content Related to Seed Storage Performance inZea mays

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Abstract
As part of a search for biochemical indicators of seed with good survival characteristics during storage, polyamine (PA) levels were measured in embryos for Zea mays seeds. PA levels were determined in individual embryos of Mean Generation Analysis (MGA) of crosses between lines which show good (C2) and poor (C6) storage characteristics. A correlation was found between higher PA contents (putrescine and spermidine) and superior survival characteristics within the populations that were analysed by MGA. Titres of putrescine (PUT) and spermidine (SPD) showed that three-quarters of the F2 resembled the C2 parent and a quarter resembled the C6 parent. Furthermore, the backcross C6F1 showed that half of the embryos had PUT levels above the parental C6 line. A maternal inheritance effect was not observed. Neither spermine nor cadaverine content was correlated with the survival inheritance pattern. Given the survival kinetics obtained, it is suggested that both the PA titres and the seed survival characteristics are determined by nuclear dominant factors.