Strategy for suppressing redox stress during tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seed germination

Abstract

A series of pyrimidinol-based compounds have been synthesized and evaluated for their ability to increase seedling biomass during seedling development. The compounds have the ability to reduce oxidative stress catalytically as natural phenolic antioxidants such as α-tocopherol do, but more efficiently. As a result, a compound with an appropriate structure (lipophilicity) effectively reduces the oxidative stress generated during seedling development, thus increasing biomass accumulation. Tomato seeds were pretreated with the synthesized antioxidants Py1C, Py8C and Py12C using acetone as the vehicle for application. None of the analogs tested affected total germination or hypocotyl dry biomass; however, seed treatment with Py8C and Py12C successfully increased radicle dry biomass by, on average, 44 % and 88 %, respectively. Compounds with these properties may be useful for the production of seedlings with enhanced characteristics such as vigor and stress resistance.