Respiration and deterioration of Inga vera ssp. affinis embryos stored at different temperatures 1

Abstract: Inga vera ssp. affinis embryos at different maturity stages and with various water contents had their CO2 production and O2 consumption analyzed, and then compared to those of Phaseolus vulgaris L. seeds. The results showed that the lower the temperature, the lower the respiratory rates and the more intense the other oxidative processes of I. vera embryos. On the other hand, the same did not happen in P. vulgaris seeds. Oxidative reactions, including respiration, reduced the germinative capacity and compromised the preservation of the embryos and seeds. Oxidative reactions depended on the embryo maturity stage, its moisture level, and the surrounding temperature. Interestingly, the responses obtained for viability loss and changes in O2 consumption rates of I. vera embryos did not correspond to the expected for plant tissues, as verified in P. vulgaris seeds with similar water content.