Glutathione redox state, tocochromanols, fatty acids, antioxidant enzymes and protein carbonylation in sunflower seed embryos associated with after-ripening and ageing

Abstract

After-ripening, dormancy-breaking during ageing and viability loss appeared to be associated with oxidative changes of the cytosolic environment and proteins in the embryonic axis rather than the lipid environment. High O2 concentrations accelerated dormancy alleviation but, surprisingly, did not accelerate the rate of viability loss.