Influence of lactic acid on seed germination of finger millet (Eleusine Coracana Gaertn.).

ABSTRACT

Lactic acid is regarded as a harmful product of anaerobic respiration occurring under waterlogged conditions in plant tissues. Effect of exogenous application of lactic acid on seed germination and activities of some important enzyme systems in seed of finger millet cultivar GPU28 was investigated. High concentration (0.5%) of lactic acid caused a marked reduction in germination percentage during initial phase (first 24 h) of seed germination. Lactic acid treatment caused suppression of seedling growth; radical growth being more sensitive than the coleoptiles growth. The analysis of enzyme activities at 24h germination stage revealed that lactic acid treatment caused decrease in the activities of enzyme amylase, acid phosphatase, ATPase, peroxidase, and catalase while there was elevation of alkaline phosphatase activity.