Course No.

Agron-721, Credit Hours: 3(2-2)

Course Title: Seed Physiology

Teacher: Dr. Inamullah,

Associate Professor Agronomy

Email: inamullah72@yahoo.com

Cell: 0345-9464319

240zeeshan1
 Chemical composition of Seed

Knowledge of chemical composition of seed is essential because:

1. Seeds are basic source of food for both human and animals
2. Seeds are important source of medicine and drugs
3. Seed contains antimetabolites that may affect consumers when used
as food
4. Seeds contain reserve food supplies & growth substances that affect
seed germination, vigour, storage and longevity
5. Seeds have several industrial uses
Wheat seed (diagram)
 Seed Composition (portions)

As an example, wheat seed comprises of the following

portions:

 Germ: 2-3%
 Bran: 13-17%
 Endosperm: 80-85%
 Seed Chemistry

Carbohydrates
Proteins
Lipids
Hormones
Vitamins
Minerals

Concentration of these compounds depend upon the

type of seed: e.g. cereals, legumes, oilseed etc.
 Determinants of yield and quality

Output (yield/quality) =

Genotype x Environment x Management

 Influence of Genetic Factors on seed chemical composition

 Chemical composition of seed is basically determined by genetic factors

 Chemical composition of seeds varies among species and varieties
 Plant breeders and biotechnologists manipulate chemical compositions
of crops and increase their usefulness as food, oil, sugar, and fibre etc.
 Examples of crops and their required characters in seed:
 Wheat:
 Maize:
 Sugarcane:
 Brassica (Canola & non-canola):
 Sunflower:
 Oats, sadabahar, sorghum:
 Triticale:
 Flax (fiber & oil):
 Others….
Influence of Environmental Factors on seed chemical composition

 The protein and N content in seeds are lower in highly irrigated conditions or in

high rainfall areas as compared with P, K, Mg and Ca.

 Seeds of soybean that mature at 21oC contain 19.5% while those that mature at

30oC contain 22.3% oil.

 Cereals grains grown under higher N application have higher protein contents.

 Similarly cereals grown under deficit K have dark color embryos.

 Brassica grown under higher S content has higher oil content.

 Wheat grown under higher Zn concentration has higher Zn contents in seed.

 Carbohydrate storage in seed

Carbohydrates make major portion in seed (70-80% depending on seed)

Carbohydrates present in seed are of two types:

1. Storage Form

Seed keep this form metabolically inactive as storage and reutilize them during germination. This

portion is

Starches: the principal storage carbs in seed. Found as amylose and amylopectin. Normally

amylopectins is found in higher amount (50-75%) but in starchy seeds the concentration of

amylose is higher (37% which is normally 20-25%).

These are composed of glucose molecules with amylose having smaller chains and amylopectin

with larger branched chain of glucose.

Alpha and Beta Amylase enzymes are used to decompose these. In endosperm these are found as

starch grains.
 Storage form cont…..

Hemicellulose: these are mostly found in cell walls and

seed coats.

 Reserve food material type of hemicellulose are

mannans, xylans, and galactans.

Hemicellulose present in cell wall and seed coat are

mannins with sugars like glucose, galactose and
arabinose.
 Non-storage forms of carbohydrates in seeds

 Non-storage form is utilized as structural component

 Mucilage: Mucilages are complex polysaccharides consisting of

polyuronides and galacturonides present in the seed coats of several
species. It is a viscous and gelatinous substance. Mucilages are hard
when dry and slimy when wet. Like gums they have a general
protective function.

 Pectin: A complex group of polysaccharides almost similar in

structure to mucilage. It is important constituents of plant cell walls
and the lamella, seed coat and endosperm. Normally they are
present in insoluble form, but in ripening fruits they become soften.