Role of enzymatic antioxidants in seed science and technology: A review

Abstract

Antioxidants, also known as anti-ageing agents are popular globally for their role in quenching free radicals present inside a cell therby reducing the oxidative stress caused to any living cell. These antioxidants can be present in both enzymatic and non-enzymatic form in nature. The role of antioxidants in biology is focused on their use in preventing the oxidation of unsaturated fats, which is the cause of rancidity. A seed is a living entity and botanically is a mature fertilized embryo embedded in nutritive tissue called as endosperm and enclosed by a protective covering called as the seed coat. Antioxidants present inside the seed affect the growth and development of it by up grading the physiology of seed in terms of seed maturity, vigor and germination. Antioxidants also play a very crucial role in enhancing seed quality by antioxidant priming; it enhances the seed storability and further enzymatic antioxidants may also be used in meeting the new research objectives related to seed science and technology viz., antioxidant gene transfer and development of new varieties of crop species of cultivated plants, predicting the storage life of seeds etc. Therefore, this review presents the role of this very important phyto chemical called as antioxidants in seed science and research.