Abstract

HERRERA-CORREDOR, Carlos  and  CARRILLO-CASTANEDA, Guillermo. Characterization of onion (Allium cepa L.) varieties based on physical properties and seed performance. Agrociencia [online]. 2007, vol.41, n.7, pp.755-762. ISSN 2521-9766.

Five cultivars (Cristal White Wax, Toro, Red Burgundy, Cojumatlán and Contessa) of onion (Allium cepa L.) were characterized according to: the weight of 100 seeds, germination kinetics, speed germination (T50) and seed protein analysis. Seed of Crystal White Wax was differentiated from the other cultivars by its low weight (0.30 g), since the weight of the rest was 0.40 g. Crystal White Wax had low seed germination (56%) and the highest delay of germination (T50 values were 78 h), while T50 of the rest was 52 h. Protein was isolated from seeds at the precise moment of seed germination. All cultivars were differentiated by their pattern and number of proteins resolved by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. Toro and Red Burgundy showed the greater difference in the number of proteins detected (27 and 14) whereas Cojumatlán, Contessa and Crystal White Wax had similar numbers. All cultivars shared 12 proteins (44%). According to the coefficient of similarity of Jaccard, Cojumatlán and Crystal White Wax had the greatest degree of relationship (0.95), while Red Burgundy was the least related.

Keywords : Allium cepa L.; germination kinetics; SDS-PAGE; T50; vigor.