| Abstract: | Germination inhibitors in methanol and water extracts of redbeet fruits (Beta vulgaris cv. rubra L.) have been studied usinglettuce and red beet seed germination as bioassays. The methanolextracts contained substances which inhibited lettuce seed germination,but had no effect on the germination of red beet seeds. Germinationof both lettuce seeds and of water-leached or sulphuric acid-treatedred beet seed balls were inhibited by the water extracts. Theconcentrations of ammonia, ferulic acid, and oxalate in thewater extracts were much lower than required for inhibitionof red beet seed germination. The water extracts contained,however, large amounts of inorganic ions, and the results clearlydemonstrated that the inhibitory effect of the water extractson red beet seed germination was mainly due to the content ofsuch inorganic ions. |
