Comparative Effects of Aliphatic Compounds on Inhibition of Lettuce Fruit Germination

Abstract

Germination of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Great Lakes) fruits was inhibited by alcohols, aldehydes and ketones. Inhibitory activity increased with increasing length of the carbon chain, being lower for the branched chain isomers. Additional hydroxyl groups decreased inhibitory activity. Allyl alcohol and acro-lcin were markedly inhibitory but usually unsaturation in the chain had little effect. Although the main structure-activity correlation was with lipophilic properties some other structural features modified the action. A comparison was made between these findings and effects recorded in the literature on membrane perturbations especially in connection with mitochondrial activity.