Effect of Ethanol on Germination and Enzyme Activities in Finger millet (Eleusine coracana Gaertn.) Seeds

Abstract

Influence of ethanol the end product of alcoholic fermentation on the growth of finger millet (var. GPU-28, CO-9) seedlings of two finger millet was studied as a means of evaluating growth responses under anoxia. The germination was delayed by ethanol treatment in case of both the cultivars. Ethanol treatment affected the growth of both radicle and coleoptile of seedlings. In this respect the radicle growth is more sensitive to ethanol than the coleoptile in both varieties of finger millet. The activities of enzymes nitrate reductase, ATPase, acid phosphatase, amylase were reduced by alcohol treatment in germinating seeds of both the cultivars. However, lower concentration of alcohol (1%) caused stimulation of peroxidase in var. CO-9. In case of var. GPU-28 showed stimulation of enzyme alkaline phosphatase in both concentration of alcohol.

Keywords

• Anoxia
• Eleusine coracana
• Ethanol treatment
• Germination
• Growth