Germination inhibitors in seeds of Taxus chinensis var. mairei

Organic compounds were identified from the methanol extract of Taxus chinensis var.mairei seeds using line separation and GC-MS methods and the variety and relative content of these compounds were measured.The results showed that organic acid,ester,amine,alcohol and ketone were main substances in the methanol extract.The inhibitory effect of acetic acid was confirmed and amine was first identified from the seeds of T.chinensis var.mairei.Also,the inhibitory effects of germination inhibitors in different parts of T.chinensis var.mairei seeds were analyzed comparatively by the bioassay of the ethanol extract from embryo,endosperm and testa.The results showed that each part of T.chinensis var.mairei seed contains some germination inhibitors,which had inhibitory effects on the germination rate and root growth of Brassica pekinensis seedlings.The inhibiting effects of inhibitors in these parts were different with the order of embryoendopleuraendospermmesospermexopleura.The inhibitory effect is gradually reinforced with the increasing concentration of extracts.