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Developmental regulation of anoxic stress tolerance in maize
Author(s) -
VANTOAI T. T.,
SAGLIO P.,
RICARD B.,
PRADET A.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
plant, cell and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 200
eISSN - 1365-3040
pISSN - 0140-7791
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3040.1995.tb00604.x
Subject(s) - acclimatization , anoxic waters , endosperm , biology , abscisic acid , botany , horticulture , ecology , biochemistry , gene
Anoxia associated with flooding stress is detrimental to plant growth and productivity. When maize seedlings 2 to 7 d old were exposed to anoxic stress, 3‐d‐old seedlings were found to have much lower tolerance than 2‐d‐old seedlings. Ninety per cent of 2‐d‐old seedlings survived 72 h of anoxic stress compared with 0% of the 3‐d‐old seedlings. Since 2‐d‐old isolated root tips survived anoxic stress better than 3‐d‐old tips, the anoxic tolerance of 2‐d‐old seedlings was independent of the translocation of nutrient reserves from the endosperm to the root. The addition of glucose to the medium improved the anoxia tolerance of 2‐d‐old seedlings by 25% but had no effect on 3‐d‐old seedlings. Acclimation by pre‐cxposure to 4% oxygen and pre‐treatment with 100mmol m −1 abscisic acid (ABA) improved the anoxia tolerance of 3‐d‐old seedlings by 2‐ and 4‐fold, respectively. However, acclimation and ABA treatment had no effect on 2‐d‐old seedlings. The results indicate that anoxia tolerance in maize is develop‐mentally regulated. The mechanism of anoxia tolerance innate to 2‐d‐old seedlings was inducible in 3‐d‐old seedlings by acclimation or treatment with ABA.