Author

1ANUPRIYA SHARMA, 2RAJENDER KUMAR SHARMA AND

3SHANTI S. SHARMA*

1Department of Biosciences, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla 171005, India, 2Department of Botany, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110019, India, 3Department of Botany, School of Life Sciences, Sikkim University, Gangtok 737102, India

*

Abstract

The seeds of Hyoscyamus niger L. (Solanaceae), an endangered medicinal plant species from Spiti in cold desert region of trans-

Himalaya, exhibited dormancy. The seed pre-treatment with sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a donor of nitric oxide (NO), led to a strong

stimulation of seed germination that was comparable to that induced by GA . Thus, an 85 and 100% seed germination was evident due 3

to 10 mM SNP and 1 mM GA , respectively. The values of other germination characteristics such as emergence index and germination 3

speed are generally consistent with the enhancement of germination performance. Both SNP and GA rapidly enhanced the α-amylase 3 activity, lipid peroxidation level and proline contents and reduced phenolic contents in the seeds prior to the initiation of germination. The findings inter alia signify the role of reserve hydrolysis, ROS and inhibitor breakdown in the observed germination enhancement. In view of a remarkable similarity of the effects, an interplay between GA and NO in the regulation of H. niger seed germination is likely. KNO and proline affected the seed germination only to a minor extent. The findings have implications for multiplication of H. 3 niger.

Keywords: Endangered, Gibberellic acid, Hyoscyamus niger, Nitric oxide, Seed dormancy, Sodium nitroprusside.

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