CHANGES IN SOME NITROGENOUS COMPONENTS DURING THE GERMINATION OF CITRUS SEEDS

The changes in the nitrogen fractions during the germination of (Citrus limon L. Burm. f) seeds have been studied. The globulins which constitute 26% of the total proteins, are the most important N reserve. Albumins, glutelins and prolamins comprise 8, 7 and 3%, respectively, of the total proteins. The breakdown of protein reserves in the cotyledons started immediately after the imbibition. The main period of hydrolysis occurred between the eighth and twenty-fourth day, when protein in cotyledons decreased by 66%. As germination progressed, there was a gradual disappearance of some proteic components separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Protein hydrolysis mainly seems to affect certain albumin and globulin fractions. Glutamic acid is probably the major component of proteins with a specific reserve function. The translocation of nitrogen from the cotyledons to the developing seedling was mainly in the form of asparagine and arginine. © 1990.