Correlation between frost tolerance and antioxidant activities in cereals

Abstract

Frost-tolerant and frost-sensitive cereal species were hardened at low, nonfreezing temperature. Changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase and glutathione reductase) in the crown and leaves were determined in the control and in hardened plants. The highest correlation between enzyme activity and frost tolerance was found in the case of guaiacol peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase from hardened leaves. Enzyme activities in the crown and in unhardened leaves showed no significant positive correlation.