Lipid biochemistry of echinochloa crus-galli during anaerobic germination

Abstract Seven day old seedlings of Echinochloa crus-galli var. oryzicola (Vasing) had a higher total lipid content when germinated under N 2 than in air, although ungerminated seeds contained more lipid than either seedling. The triacylglycerol pool was not depleted under anaerobiosis as it was in air and only air-grown seedlings showed a net increase in free fatty acids and polar lipids. Concentrations of most of the individual acids of the total fatty acid profile declined during germination in air and in the free acid and polar lipid fractions of these seedlings the relative proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids increased. Compared to air-grown seedlings, ungerminated seeds and N 2 -grown seedlings had a similar qualitative and quantitative lipid composition. Our results show that mobilization of storage lipids was apparently severely inhibited under anoxia. The importance of lipid metabolism to the germination and growth of Echinochloa during anoxia is discussed in terms of maintaining membrane integrity and serving (indirectly) to reoxidize pyridine nucleotides.