Ethylene synthesis in lettuce seeds: its physiological significance

The germination and pregermination ethylene production of Grand Rapids lettuce seeds (Lactuca sativa L.) incubated at 20 C after a red light treatment are inhibited if the seeds are first imbibed at 30 C for 36 hours. In this study, low concentrations of ethylene were found to enhance the germination of seeds pretreated at 30 C more than that of untreated controls. In the presence of high concentrations of ethylene, pretreated seeds and controls germinated at a similar rate. These results are consistent with the view that a prolonged imbibition at 30 C inhibits germination at a lower temperature through its effect on the ethylene production of the seeds. As a further test of the hypothesis, estimates were made of the pregermination ethylene content of untreated seeds and pretreated seeds incubated in the presence of sufficient ethylene to make them germinate as rapidly as untreated seeds. The values obtained were 0.65 and 0.74 nanoliter of ethylene per gram (dry weight) of seeds, respectively.