Status of Antioxidative and Carbon Metabolizing Enzymes at Preand Post-Germination Stages in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Changes in activities of antioxidative and carbon metabolizing enzymes were determined in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar PBW343 to understand the various biochemical events occurring at pre-germination (natural anaerobiosis) and post-germination (aerobic) stages. During transition from anaerobic to aerobic respiration i.e. after 12 to 24 h of sowing, a sudden dip in the activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was observed. The activities of CAT, GR and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were higher in shoots than roots while peroxidase (POX) activity was higher in roots. Alcohol- and aldehyde dehydrogenase activities in general were higher at pre-germination stages than post-germination from 48 to 96 hours. Presence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in endosperm during pregermination and post-germination stages indicated that pentose phosphate pathway is an integral pathway during oxygen deficit as well as aerobic metabolism.