The role of nucleic acids in germination of Ruellia seeds
Abstract
Seeds of Ruellia were positively photoblastic in nature. Dark-inhibition of germination was promoted by GA3 replacing light requirement. Cycloheximide and 4-thiouracil inhibited germination. Nucleic acid levels in germinating seeds increased in dark and also with GA3 treatment made in dark, while they showed a decrease with GA3+light. The incorporation of 33P also showed a similar trend. Amylase activity of seeds was promoted by treatments which accelerated germination and inhibited by treatments which had inhibitory effect on germination. In conclusion, it seems possible that phytochrome-induced GA3 activation initiated amylase activity which in turn controlled germination of Ruellia seeds and nucleic acid had insignificant role in such process.
