Sesame Seed Metabolism During Germination Under Auxin: An In Vivo NMR Study

This study aimed to investigate how the auxin effects germination and metabolism of water, lipid, and carbohydrate in sesame seed in vivo using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. The methods included magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy, relaxation time measurement, and chemical shift selection imaging. While auxin has traditionally been considered a growth hormone, certain reports have suggested that it can impair plant growth. Our research revealed that the metabolism of water and lipid became more active under the influence of auxin, with the T₁ of the water resonance increasing more rapidly, the lipid synthesis and consumption occurring earlier. However, the positive effect of auxin did not persist throughout the entire germination stage. Within the first 24 h, the addition of auxin had a detrimental impact on the natural development of sesame by interfering with its original metabolic processes related to water and fat. The study also identified a carbohydrate region related to lipid metabolism through MAS spectra. The findings demonstrated that NMR techniques can provide useful information on sesame seed growth and help determine the optimal time to apply auxin for enhancing germination.