The role of PME and ADH enzymes in seed deterioration and its implication for producing high quality soybean seed

Abstract Soybean seeds are member of the orthodox seeds group which suseptable to deterioration. The low quality of soybean seeds used by farmers is one of the causes of the low soybean productivity at the farmer level. Pectin methylesterase (PME) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) enzymes have been studied in relation to seed deterioration. Increase in seed moisture content is strongly suspected to be the initial occurrence and increase in PME enzyme activity which then followed by ADH enzyme activity in a series of biochemical reactions leading to the accumulation of acetaldehyde-protein adducts (APA) in soybean seeds. The APA contributes to deterioration of seeds. Thus, the increase in APA in soybean seeds may be used as an indicator of the level of deterioration of soybean seeds. Since high seed moisture content contributes to the initiation of PME activity in seeds, soybean seed production in the rainy season is not recommended because it will produce seeds with low physiological quality due to high PME activity so that the seeds cannot be stored for long-term period.