Ageing-induced changes of reduced and oxidised glutathione in fragments of maize seedlings

A trial with four maize inbred lines with the ability to have different durations of seed germination in the course of the accelerated ageing (AA) treatment was set up. Changes of the content of total, reduced and oxidized glutathione (expressed as monomers) were observed in the seeds and seedlings before and after the treatment. For the first time, changes of glutathione in whole seedlings, as well as in the rest of the seed, were analysed. It was noticed that maize inbreds with a smaller decrease of the total glutathione but with an increase of the oxidized form had the ability of prolonged germination. In the control seedlings, the amount of total glutathione was lower than in the treated ones. Maize seeds which lost germination faster had greater losses of total glutathione with an increased content of the oxidized form in seedlings. The ability of prolonged germination together with the possibility of glutathione synthesis in seedlings are genotypic traits.