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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » WHGQ » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #429142
Research Project: Wheat and Barley Adaptation to a Changing Climate - Discovery of Genetic and Physiological Processes for Improved Crop Productivity and Quality

Location: Wheat Health, Genetics, and Quality Research

Title: Preliminary evidence of an association between oxidation during long-term peanut germplasm storage and impaired seedling emergence and growth

Author
item Benke, Ryan
item Tonnis, Brandon
item Wang, Ming
item Wang, Mei
item Li, Xianran
item TISHCHENKO, VIKTOR - University Of Georgia
item Tallury, Shyamalrau

Submitted to: Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/20/2026
Publication Date: 6/27/2026
Citation: Benke, R.L., Tonnis, B.D., Wang, M.L., Wang, M., Li, X., Tishchenko, V., Tallury, S.P. 2026. Preliminary evidence of an association between oxidation during long-term peanut germplasm storage and impaired seedling emergence and growth. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 73. Article 222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-026-02856-y.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-026-02856-y

Interpretive Summary: Peanut seeds progressively accumulate epoxidation products during long-term storage. By comparing newly generated and long-term stored seeds, we showed that this accumulation is associated with reduced germination and abnormal seedling growth. These findings highlights how storage duration affects seed viability and provides important considerations for the long-term preservation of peanut germplasm.

Technical Abstract: Long-term storage of seed germplasm can lead to physical, physiological, and biochemical changes, potentially affecting germination and seedling growth. In Part A of our study, we found that long-term stored peanut seeds contained significantly higher levels of epoxidation products—specifically methyl epoxystearate (peak 1) and both methyl coronarate and vernolate (peak 2)—than in freshly harvested seeds. Here, in Part B, we evaluated the effects of these biochemical changes on seed germination and seedling growth. First, we compared the metabolite profiles between individual old (long-term stored) and new (recently regenerated) seeds from 179 accessions and identified a strong linear relationship between epoxidation product accumulation and seed storage length. Next, we evaluated seed germination and seedling performance between pair-wise planted old and new seeds. Finally, after five weeks, we compared the fresh and dry weights of each seedling. The germination rates of old and new seeds were 61.75% and 95.26%, respectively. For germinating seeds, old seeds often produce seedlings with abnormal growth and low vigor, as reflected by the fresh and dry weights of seedlings from new seeds being 2.5 and 2.9 times higher, respectively, than those derived from old seeds. Collectively, these results indicated that (1) oxidation products levels increased with seed storage length and (2) their accumulation was significantly associated with decreased germination rates, abnormal seedling growth, and lower fresh and dry seedling weights. This is the first report that the epoxidation products from long-term stored peanut seeds significantly affect seed germination and seedling growth. These findings provide insights for improving peanut germplasm preservation.