Flow Cytometric Analysis of Sugar-Beet Seeds Different in Vigour

Abstract

The nuclear replication stages in different tissues of dry mature sugarbeet seed were determined using flow cytometry. The following samples were analysed: (a) whole seed ball, (b) true seed removed from the pericarp, (c) true seed without radicle, (d) radicle. In all the cases most cells were arrested in the G1/G0 phase of cell cycle. Nevertheless, the presence of cells arrested in the G2 phase was also observed. The highest G2/G1 ratio was found in the radicle. The seed lots of three sugarbeet cultivars, PN Mono 1, Jastra (both 2X) and Maria (3X), different in vigour (low, medium and high vigour for each cultivar) were investigated in order to study a correlation between vigour and G2/G1 ratio in the radicle. A significantly higher G2/G1 ratio for seed of low vigour was obtained suggesting that flow cytometry can be used for identification of the low vigour seed lots which need special treatment in order to improve their quality.