Full Length Research Paper

Juglone effects on seedling growth in intact and coatless seeds of muskmelon

Ismail Kocaçalişkan¹*, Emel Turan² and Irfan Terzi³

¹Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Arts, Dumlupınar   University, Kütahya, Turkey.

²Evliya Çelebi State Hospital, Kütahya, Turkey.

³Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, Dumlupınar University, Kütahya, Turkey.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: ismailkc@dumlupinar.edu.tr .

Accepted 19 November, 2008

Elongation, fresh and dry weights of muskmelon seedlings (Cucumis melo cv. Kış kavunu) were enhanced by juglone in intact seeds. In the case of coatless seeds, root elongation decreased but fresh and dry weight of the seedlings were increased by juglone. While protein content was slightly increased by juglone in cotyledons of intact seeds, it did not change significantly in coatless seeds. Catechol oxidizing activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme increased in cotyledons of juglone treated intact seeds whereas it did not change significantly in coatless seeds.

Key words: Juglone, muskmelon, seedling growth, protein content, polyphenol oxidase  activity.