Lectins, Mitogenicity and Seed Germination: A Comparative Study with the Seeds of Telfairia occidentalis (Hook, F.) (Curcurbitaceae), Carica papaya (Linn) (Caricaceae) and Artocarpus communis (J.R. & G. Forst) (Moraceae)

The fate of lectins contained in the seeds of T. occidentalis, C. papaya and A. communis have been followed during the germinative process. Under the same culture conditions, the emergence of both the radicle and the plumule (the 3rd and 5th day; 18th and 20th and 12th and the 15th day respectively for T. occidentalis, C. papaya and A. communis) was preceded, 24 hours earlier, by the appearance of lectin in the developing tissues. The data suggest that the mitogenic lectins: Telfairia occidentalis Agglutinin (TOA) and Artocarpin accelerates the process of germination relative to that observed for seeds (C. papaya) containing the non-mitogenic lectins, Caricin