THE INITIAL-STAGES OF WHEAT (TRITICUM-AESTIVUM, L) SEED IMBIBITION ASOBSERVED BY PROTON NUCLEAR MAGNETIC-RELAXATION

Proton nuclear magnetic relaxation (NMR) (measured using hard pulses) was applied to the primary stages of wheat seed imbibition investigati ons. The total proton NMR signal as a function of H2O or D2O mass upta ke was recorded. The components coming from the solid matrix of the se ed (S) and from the water absorbed were identified. The proton signal of the solid is not much affected by seed hydration, but its magnitude decreases as the starchy endosperm of the wheat seed is decomposed. T he decrease is linear as a function of the water mass absorbed, causin g the non-linear increase of the total liquid proton signal (L). Model s describing L/S as a function of H2O mass absorbed and S/(L + S) as a function of D2O absorbed were proposed.