Physiology and biochemical changes in accelerated aged tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.) seeds

Abstract: The effect of physiological and biochemical changes were studied in seeds of TNAU tomato hybrid (CO-3) exposed to accelerated ageing for a period of 10 days and investigated for speed of germination, per cent germination, shoot, root length, dry matter production and biochemical attributes viz., free amino acids (FAA), electrical conductivity (EC), volatile aldehydes production - seedling length bio assay (BA), dehydrogenase (DH) and peroxidase (POD) activity against untreated control (fresh) seeds. E.C., FAA and BA were negatively correlated with speed and percentage germination, root/shoot lengths, dry matter production, DH and POD activity. Speed of germination was highly and positively correlated with per cent germination (0.923), root length (0.971), dry matter production (0.940), dehydrogenase (0.776) and peroxidase activity (0.676) and it was negatively correlated with free amino acid content (-0.990) and electrical conductivity (-0.936).