This study was aimed to investigate the effects of PEG-6000 induced moisture stress on mobilization of reserve food materials from seed to the growing organs of drought tolerant and susceptible mungbean cultivars during early seedling growth stage. Water stress exerted an inhibitory effect on mobilization of seed reserves in both tolerant and susceptible mungbean cultivars resulting is higher cotyledon weight, starch and protein contents in the cotyledon in comparison to control. But, soluble sugars content in cotyledon reduced under moisture stress. Tolerant cultivar K-851 showed lower cotyledon weight, starch and protein contents in cotyledon compared to susceptible cultivar PDM-84-139 in respective water potentials, particularly at later developmental stage which indicate greater mobilization of storage reserve in tolerant cultivar than susceptible one. Non-sequential variations in total soluble sugars, starch and protein contents in different seedling parts of both the cultivars under simulated moisture stress suggest that these metabolites are in no way associate with tolerance and susceptibility of this crop to drought particularly at early seedling growth stages.
Mobilization of food reserves, moisture stress, mungeban, seedling growth, germinating seeds
