Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECT OF LEAD ON PROTEIN MOBILIZATION IN CHICKPEA SEEDS DURING GERMINATION

V.Deep, K. Gupta and Veena Jain

Abstract

Present investigations were carried out to ascertain the impact of lead on the process of protein mobilization in chickpea seeds during germination. In response to various concentrations of lead, the protease activity in the cotyledons was suppressed, while increased as germination advances. Inhibition of enzyme activity suggested that lead tended to retard the initial development of the enzyme activity. The results on protein utilization denote a reduced hydrolysis of cotyledonary protein in presence of lead. Same trend was observed in the developing embryonic axis. Pool of free amino acids in the cotyledons depicted the inhibition of the transport of amino acids from cotyledons to the developing embryonic axis. It is suggested that seed metabolism is adversely affected by lead.