Interactions of Abscisic Acid, Cytokinin and Gibberellin in the Control of Betacyanin Synthesis in Seedlings of Amaranthus caudatus

In de-rooted seedlings of Amaranthus caudatus L., betacyanin synthesis induced by white light or cytokinin was inhibited by abscisic acid (ABA) or a mixture of gibberellins A₄ and A₇ (GA_4/7). The GA_4/7 and ABA effects were additive. Thus ABA inhibited the cytokinin action but had no effect on the gibberellin response.     

Involvement of Abscisic Acid and Indole-3-acetic Acid in the Flowering of Pharbitis nil

The involvement of abscisic acid (ABA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in the regulation of flowering of Pharbitis nil was investigated through exogenous applications and analyses of endogenous levels. Both hormones inhibited the flowering of P. nil when they were applied before or after a single 15-h dark treatment. The inhibitory effect of ABA and IAA was significant when they were applied before the dark treatment, and the application to plumules was more effective than that to cotyledons. In all applications, the inhibitory effect of IAA was stronger than that of ABA. Endogenous levels of ABA and IAA in the plumules were compared between flower-inductive (15-h dark treatment) and noninductive (continuous light) light conditions. There was no significant difference in the ABA level between light and dark conditions, whereas the level of IAA was decreased by the dark treatment. These results suggest that biosynthesis and/or catabolism of IAA is affected by the light treatment and therefore may be involved in the regulation of early flowering processes in the apex. The inhibitory effects of ABA and IAA were reversed by an application of gibberellin A₃, indicating that gibberellin A₃ counteracts the flowering processes affected by ABA and IAA. Application of aminoethoxyvinylglycine restored the flowering response inhibited by IAA, which suggests the possibility that the inhibitory effect of IAA is the result of enhanced ethylene biosynthesis. Received November 22, 1996; accepted February 17, 1997     

Interaction of jasmonic acid with some plant growth regulators in the control of apple (Malus domestica) embryo germination

Embryos isolated from dormant apple seeds were treated with jasmonic acid (JA), gibberellin A₃ (GA₃), abscisic acid (ABA) and hydrogen cyanide in darkness and in light. The chemicals were present in the culture medium continuously and simultaneously or applied for 2 days and in different sequences. All treatments stimulated embryo germination except ABA, which was strongly inhibitory. Additive effects of JA with light and with GA₃ on embryo germination were observed, whereas ABA interacted synergically with JA, HCN and light. ABA and GA₃ were most effective when applied early during embryo incubation, but the late JA treatment was more stimulatory. It is concluded that JA does not act on the regulatory pathway that is initiated by light and which leads to embryo germination through gibberellin accumulation and alkaline lipase activation. ABA and HCN appear to be involved in the control of this pathway. JA and ABA may be involved in the control of alkaline lipase activity, independently of this regulatory chain.Abbreviations ABA abscisic acid - GA₃ gibberellin A₃ - JA jasmonic acid     

Stomatal responses to ABA and IAA in isolated epidermal strips ofVicia faba L.

Epidermal strips from well-watered faba-bean plants were subjected to a range of abscisic acid (ABA) and indolyl-3-acetic acid (IAA) concentrations (10^-5 to 1 mM) in the presence or absence of CO₂ in light or dark. ABA had inhibitory effect on abaxial stomatal apertures in all the concentrations studied and retained them closed even after addition of KCl (SO and 100 mM) to the incubation medium. It also influenced stomatal responses to CO₂. In the presence of CO₂ apertures were greater than in its absence in light as well as in darkness. This relationship remained unchanged also after addition of KCl. The action of ABA inhibited accumulation of potassium in the guard cells. IAA stimulated stomatal opening and its effect was quite opposite to ABA; in the presence of CO₂ the apertures were smaller than in its absence. IAA, however, was able to inhibit the closing effect of darkness, CO₂, and ABA, and stimulated potassium accumulation in the guard cells. Simultaneous action of ABA+IAA manifested effects of both substances.     

Effects of abscisic acid,cytokinins, and light on isoflavonoid phytoalexin accumulation inPhaseolus vulgaris L.

Cotyledons ofPhaseolus vulgaris L. contain small amounts of phaseollin and kievitone. Isolating the cotyledons from the plant does not alter phaseollin levels. Kievitone levels, however, although not affected in light-incubated cotyledons, increased rapidly in dark-incubated cotyledons. Abscisic acid (ABA) at 10^-4 M stimulated the accumulation of phaseollin in excised cotyledons in both light and darkness, whereas benzylaminopurine (BAP) increased these levels only in the light. The kievitone level was influenced by ABA and BAP only in dark-incubated cotyledons, i.e., inhibited at 10^-4 M. When excised cotyledons were treated with mercuric chloride, both phaseollin and kievitone accumulated rapidly in both light and darkness. The effect of ABA on these cotyledons was similar to that on non-treated cotyledons. The results demonstrate that the synthesis of the two phytoalexins is regulated by separate mechanisms and indicate that the phytoalexin composition is dependent on the physiological condition of the cotyledons. ABA and BAP may play a role in the resistance response of the plant.Abbreviations ABA abscisic acid - BAP benzylaminopurine     

Abscisic acid regulates seed germination of Vellozia species in response to temperature

• The relationship between the phytohormones, gibberellin (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA) and light and temperature on seed germination is still not well understood. We aimed to investigate the role of the ABA and GA on seed germination of Vellozia caruncularis, V. intermedia and V. alutacea in response to light/dark conditions on different temperature.
• Seeds were incubated in GA (GA₃ or GA₄) or ABA and their respective biosynthesis inhibitors (paclobutrazol – PAC, and fluridone – FLU) solutions at two contrasting temperatures (25 and 40 °C). Furthermore, endogenous concentrations of active GAs and those of ABA were measured in seeds of V. intermedia and V. alutacea during imbibition/germination.
• Exogenous ABA inhibited the germination of Vellozia species under all conditions tested. GA, FLU and FLU + GA₃ stimulated germination in the dark at 25 °C (GA₄ being more effective than GA₃). PAC reduced seed germination in V. caruncularis and V. alutacea, but did not affect germination of V. intermedia at 40 °C either under light or dark conditions. During imbibition in the dark, levels of active GAs decreased in the seeds of V. intermedia, but were not altered in those of V. alutacea. Incubation at 40 °C decreased ABA levels during imbibition in both V. caruncularis and V. alutacea.
• We conclude that the seeds of Vellozia species studied here require light or high temperature to germinate and ABA has a major role in the regulation of Vellozia seed germination in response to light and temperature.

     

Evidence that ethylene, light and abscisic acid interact to inhibit germination in the recalcitrant seeds of Quercus robur L.

The effects of ethylene, light and abscisic acid (ABA) on thegermination of prematurely-harvested and mature Q. robur seedswere studied. There was evidence of active biosynthesis of ethylene,but not of ABA in seeds from both harvests. Addition of ABA,the ethylene precursor, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid(ACC) or the ethylene-releasing compound Ethephon (E) to germinationmedia and exposure to light individually inhibited germinationand their effects were additive. The ethylene biosynthesis inhibitoraminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) tended to promote germinationof premature seeds only. Key words: Quercus robur, germination, ethylene, light, abscisic acid, recalcitrant seed     

Stomatal responses of Argenteum — a mutant of Pisum sativum L. with readily detachable leaf epidermis

Epidermis is easily detached from both adaxial and abaxial surfaces of leaf four of the Argenteum mutant of Pisum sativum L. The isolated epidermis has stomata with large, easily-measured pores. Hairs and glands are absent. The density of stomata is high and contamination by mesophyll cells is low. In the light and in CO₂-free air, stomata in isolated adaxial epidermis of Argenteum mutant opened maximally after 4 h incubation at 25°C. The response of stomata to light was dependent on the concentration of KCl in the incubation medium and was maximal at 50 mol m^-3 KCl. Stomata did not respond to exogenous kinetin, but apertures were reduced by incubation of epidermis on solutions containing between 10^-5 and 10^-1 mol m^-3 abscisic acid (ABA). The responses of stomata of Argenteum mutant to light, exogenous KCl, ABA and kinetin were comparable with those described previously for stomata in isolated epidermis of Commelina communis. A method for preparing viable protoplasts of guard cells from isolated epidermis of Argenteum mutant is described. The response of guard cell protoplasts to light, exogenous KCl, ABA and kinetin were similar to those of stomata in isolated epidermis except that the increase in volume of the protoplasts in response to light was maximal at a lower concentration of KCl (10 mol m^-3) and that protoplasts responded more rapidly to light than stomata in isolated epidermis. The protoplasts did not respond to exogenous kinetin, but when incubated for 1 h in the light and in CO₂-free air on a solution containing 10^-3 mol m^-3 ABA, they decreased in volume by 30%. The advantages of using epidermis from Argenteum mutant for experiments on stomatal movements are discussed.Abbreviations ABA abscisic acid - MES 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid     

Different relative humidity conditions combined with chloride and sulfate salinity treatments modify abscisic acid and salicylic acid levels in the halophyte Prosopis strombulifera

It has been shown that abscisic acid (ABA) and salicylic acid (SA) act as endogenous signal molecules responsible for inducing abiotic stress tolerance in plants. However, our knowledge on the role of both phytohormones in response to environmental conditions in halophytic plants is still limited. In this study endogenous ABA and SA levels, growth parameters and chlorophylls content were determined in leaves and roots of the halophyte Prosopis strombulifera cultivated under increasing NaCl and Na₂SO₄ concentrations, at 30 and 70 % relative humidity (RH) conditions. Endogenous ABA and SA content differed depending on the salt type and concentration, RH, plant age and the organ analyzed. Under low RH conditions P. strombulifera growth was strongly inhibited and chlorophyll a and b content were decreased. In leaves of Na₂SO₄-treated plants at 30 % RH, high ABA levels were correlated with protection against dehydration and ion toxicity. Instead, high SA levels were correlated with the damaging effect of sulfate anion and low RH on plant growth. NaCl-treated plants growth was also inhibited at 30 % RH although levels of both hormones were not significantly increased. Taken together, the salt toxic effects on growth parameters and photosynthetic pigments were accentuated by low RH conditions and these responses were reflected on ABA and SA content.     

The effects of gibberellic acid,fluridone, abscisic acid and paclobutrazol on anther culture of Brussels sprouts

Both gibberellic acid (GA₃) and fluridone, a non-specific inhibitor of ABA biosynthesis, promoted embryo production in anther cultures of Brussels sprouts cv. Hal, but not in cv. Gower. Abscisic acid (ABA) and the gibberellin-biosynthesis inhibitor paclobutrazol inhibited embryo production in both cultivars.     

Inhibitors from carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.)

Summary Inhibitory extracts of carob and abscisic acid (ABA) were compared and found to behave differently in three types of tests. The carob inhibitors remained at the origin upon thin-layer chromatography in two different solvent systems while a cis-trans mixture of ABA had Rf's of 2.5 and 3.5 in the first system (chloroform:acetic acid, 95:5), and 3.5 and 4.5 in the second system (benzene:acetic acid:water, 8:3:5). When ABA and carob extract were mixed and then chromatographed, the ABA had the same Rf values as ABA chromatographed alone.Assays utilizing light-grown, dwarf peas showed that a weight ratio of 1000: 1 ABA:gibberellic acid (GA₃) was necessary to inhibit GA₃-induced growth by 50% while carob fraction C is inhibitory to GA₃ at a ratio of 17:1. The amount of ABA which inhibited 50% of the growth induced by 0.05 g GA₃ reduced the endogenous growth of both dwarf and non-dwarf pea seedlings; in contrast, concentrations of carob extract up to 100 times greater than the amount necessary for 50% inhibition of the growth response caused by 0.05 g GA₃ did not affect endogenous growth.Only very small amounts of inhibitory activity from carob extract were transferred from water to chloroform at a pH (2.0) at which most of the ABA was transferred.     

Jasmonic acid and salicylic acid play minor roles in stomatal regulation by CO2, abscisic acid,darkness, vapor pressure deficit and ozone

Jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) regulate stomatal closure, preventing pathogen invasion into plants. However, to what extent abscisic acid (ABA), SA and JA interact, and what the roles of SA and JA are in stomatal responses to environmental cues, remains unclear. Here, by using intact plant gas-exchange measurements in JA and SA single and double mutants, we show that stomatal responsiveness to CO₂, light intensity, ABA, high vapor pressure deficit and ozone either did not or, for some stimuli only, very slightly depended upon JA and SA biosynthesis and signaling mutants, including dde2, sid2, coi1, jai1, myc2 and npr1 alleles. Although the stomata in the mutants studied clearly responded to ABA, CO₂, light and ozone, ABA-triggered stomatal closure in npr1-1 was slightly accelerated compared with the wild type. Stomatal reopening after ozone pulses was quicker in the coi1-16 mutant than in the wild type. In intact Arabidopsis plants, spraying with methyl-JA led to only a modest reduction in stomatal conductance 80 min after treatment, whereas ABA and CO₂ induced pronounced stomatal closure within minutes. We could not document a reduction of stomatal conductance after spraying with SA. Coronatine-induced stomatal opening was initiated slowly after 1.5–2.0 h, and reached a maximum by 3 h after spraying intact plants. Our results suggest that ABA, CO₂ and light are major regulators of rapid guard cell signaling, whereas JA and SA could play only minor roles in the whole-plant stomatal response to environmental cues in Arabidopsis and Solanum lycopersicum (tomato).     

Interactions between hydrogen cyanide, gibberellin, abscisic acid and red light in germination of lettuce seeds

Germination of lettuce ( Lactuce sativa L. cy. Grand Rapids) seeds was promoted by red light and by pulse treatments with gibbercllie acid (GA₃) or hydrogen cyanide, whereas it was inhibited by short exposure of seeds to absusic acid (ABA). The eflects of unsalLirating red light and of 10 μ M GA₃ on lettuce germination were completely reversed the effect of ABA (100 μ M ). In contrast, hydrogen cyanide did not reverse the effect of 100 μ M ABA and only partly eliminated the effect of 10μ M ABA, independently of the sequence of treatments. Possible interactions between HCN GA₃, ABA and red light were discussed. It was concluded thai light GA₃ and HCN affect different mechanisms involved in lettuce germination: ABA counteracts the stimulatory action of all these faclors. being the most effective against cvanide Additional key words - Lactuca sativa, pholodormancy, phylohormoncs.     

Two potential Ca(2+)-mobilizing processes depend on the abscisic acid concentration and growth temperature in the Arabidopsis stomatal guard cell

The abscisic acid (ABA) stomatal closing signal might be transduced through different pathways, depending on the plant growth temperature (GT) and the applied ABA concentration. This was investigated in epidermal peels of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Columbia. Different Ca2+ buffers and guanosine-triphosphate-binding protein (G protein) modulators were tested on stomatal closing under light in response to 3 mumol/L ABA (ABA3 mu) and 30 mumol/L ABA (ABA30 mu) at the 15-17 degrees C and 23-25 degrees C GT ranges. The Ca2+ buffer, 1,2-bis(0-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid, used as free acid (BAPTA) or acetoxymethyl ester (BAPTA-AM), similarly inhibited (up to approximately 70% inhibition) stomatal closing to ABA3 mu and ABA30 mu, whereas ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid specifically inhibited (up to approximately 70% inhibition) the ABA3 mu response at the 23-25 degrees C GT range. At the same GT range, the ABA3 mu response was specifically affected by the phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor 1-[6-[[17 beta-3-methoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-yl]amino]hexyl]-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione (U73122). Moreover, the ABA30 mu response was specifically inhibited by the G protein antagonist pGlu-Gln-D-Trp-Phe-D-Trp-D-Trp-Met-NH2 (GP Ant-2) and by the inactive mastoparan analog, mas 17. The inhibitory effects of GP Ant-2 and mas 17 were additive. None of the tested pharmacological compounds were effective at the 15-17 degrees C GT range. Together, these results confirmed that, depending on GT and the exogenous ABA concentration, stomatal closing to ABA involves either one among two Ca2+ mobilizations or none of them.     

Enzyme activities in Pennisetum seedlings germinated in the presence of abscisic and gibberellic acids

Effects of abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid (GA₃), alone and in combination, on growth and activity of alanine aminotransferase (GPT), aspartate aminotransferase (GOT), and glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) were studied in aerial parts of Pennisetum typhoides seedlings. ABA inhibited growth and activity of GLDH, but stimulated the activity of GPT and weakly that of GOT. GA₃, on the other hand, did not affect the activity of any of the enzymes tested, but in combination with ABA tended to antagonise the efrect of the latter.     

Does engineering abscisic acid biosynthesis in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia modify stomatal response to drought?

The consequences of manipulating abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis rates on stomatal response to drought were analysed in wild‐type, a full‐deficient mutant and four under‐producing transgenic lines of N. plumbaginifolia. The roles of ABA, xylem sap pH and leaf water potential were investigated under four experimental conditions: feeding detached leaves with varying ABA concentration; injecting exogenous ABA into well‐watered plants; and withholding irrigation on pot‐grown plants, either intact or grafted onto tobacco. Changes in ABA synthesis abilities among lines did not affect stomatal sensitivity to ABA concentration in the leaf xylem sap ([ABA]_xyl), as evidenced with exogenous ABA supplies and natural increases of [ABA]_xyl in grafted plants subjected to drought. The ABA‐deficient mutant, which is uncultivable under normal evaporative demand, was grafted onto tobacco stock and then presented the same stomatal response to [ABA]_xyl as wild‐type and other lines. This reinforces the dominant role of ABA in controlling stomatal response to drought in N. plumbaginifolia whereas roles of leaf water potential and xylem sap pH were excluded under all studied conditions. However, when plants were submitted to soil drying onto their own roots, stomatal response to [ABA]_xyl slightly differed among lines. It is suggested, consistently with all the results, that an additional root signal of soil drying modulates stomatal response to [ABA]_xyl.     

Regulation of Growth in Avena (Oat) Stem Segments by Gibberellic Acid and Abscisic Acid

The purpose of this study was to analyze the nature of the interaction between gibberellic acid (GA₃) and abscisic acid (ABA) in the regulation of growth in excised Avena (oat) stem segments. Growth, compared to sucrose controls, was inhibited by ABA in the range of 10^?4 to 10^?6M. GA₃-promoted growth was also inhibited by ABA in the same concentration range. A Lineweaver-Burk analysis of the interaction between GA₃ and ABA indicated that ABA acts in a non-competitive fashion with GA₃. This same result was obtained previously with GA₃-indoleacetic acid (IAA) and GA₃-kinetin interactions with Avena stem sections. Our results indicate that ABA can inhibit GA₃-promoted growth within physiological concentrations, and that it is probably acting at a different physiological site from that for GA₃.     

中国沙棘克隆生长对灌水强度的响应规律及其激素调控机制

关于中国沙棘克隆生长调节研究目前局限于外在机制,旨在探讨其克隆生长对灌水强度的响应规律及其激素调控的内在机制。结果表明:随着灌水强度的增大,分株生长、克隆繁殖、克隆扩散能力先升后降,IAA(吲哚-3-乙酸)、ZR(玉米素核苷)、GA_3(赤霉酸)含量及其与ABA(脱落酸)的比值先升后降而ABA含量先降后升。同时,分株生长、克隆繁殖、克隆扩散能力与IAA、ZR、GA_3含量以及IAA/ABA、ZR/ABA、GA_3/ABA呈极显著或显著正相关,与ABA含量呈极显著负相关。灌水强度过小或过大,IAA、ZR、GA_3含量以及IAA/ABA、ZR/ABA、GA_3/ABA低而ABA含量高,克隆生长潜力受到抑制,种群以分株小、数量少(分布稀疏)、扩散(水平根延伸和分枝)能力弱为特征,克隆生长格局倾向于"游击型"、种群早衰概率高;灌水强度适宜,IAA、ZR、GA_3含量以及IAA/ABA、ZR/ABA、GA_3/ABA高而ABA含量低,克隆生长潜力得以充分发挥,种群以分株大、数量多(分布密集)、扩散能力强为特征,克隆生长格局倾向于"聚集型"、种群稳定性高。随着灌水强度过小-适宜-过大的连续变化,中国沙棘通过改变激素状况调控克隆生长,从而形成与灌水强度相适应的克隆生长格局连续体"游击型-聚集型-游击型",种群稳定性呈"低-高-低"的连续变化过程。由此可见:灌水强度诱导内源激素发生改变,激素特征调控克隆生长格局,克隆生长格局决定种群稳定性。