Modern diets include more and more raw food or functional food products. Germs and sprout have high biological value due to the quality and quantity of nutrients. Since water is the specific biochemical medium for reactions specific to germination (conversion of proteins in aminoacids and amides, conversion of starch into maltose and glucose, conversion of lipid into fat acids), also ensuring transport of theresulted products towards embryo, the presence of chemical compounds in water may influence the  germination process and the plant development, thus contributing substantially to changes in their biological potential. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the germination rate for seeds of wheat, barley and oats in the presence of zinc acetate, zinc sulfate that different doses (50 and 100 ppm zinc). Essentiality of zinc (at small and moderate doses) for plant development is indisputable, but its effect on germination rate was less studied in cereals. Germination was acomplished in laboratory conditions, and germination rate was quantified at five and ten days after the start of experiment using Saupe method. We obtained sprout from three species of grain, in the presence of acetate and zinc sulphate.To the end of the first five days, the germination rate was lower in the groups treated with zinc compounds, comparatively with the control groups (average of -5.98% and -9.02% for wheat, -14.57% and -19.62% in barley and -12.08% and -6.78% for oats). Germination rate of the three species, after ten days, was also lower in the experimental groups than in the control group (average of -1.0% and -2.45% for wheat, -4.49% and -4.16% for barley and -3.10%, respectively -0.18% in oats. An exception was noted in the group of wheat treated with 50 ppm zinc as acetate, where the germination rate has been increased to +3.59% respectively +1.05% comparing with the control groups. The dose of 100 ppm zinc, no matter which zinc chemical form was used (acetate or sulphate) affected the germination rate in a higher degree that the 50 ppm zinc dose.

germination rate, wheat, barley, oat, shoot, zinc

Presentation: oral