Irreversible Effects of Water Stress on Growth and Stomatal Development in Cotyledons of Etiolated Squash Seedlings

Growth of etiolated squash cotyledons and hypocotyls was suppressedwhen the seedlings were subjected to 60 mM polyethylene glycol(PEG) in 1/5 strength of Hoagland solution. The fresh weightof the hypocotyl completely recovered when the water stresswas relieved after one day of PEG treatment. The fresh weightof the cotyledons, however, did not completely recover eventhree days after the relief of water stress. The transpiration rate of the cotyledons was substantially reducedby the water stress, and it also did not completely recoverafter the water stress was relieved. Microscopic observationof stomata of the cotyledons by a replica method revealed thatthe water stress reduced the increase in both stomatal widthand density, and this reduction did not completely recover afterthe water stress was relieved. After one day of water stress, the endogenous ABA content ofthe cotyledon was increased from 68 to 114 ng/g fr wt. Afterthe water stress was relieved, the increased ABA content decreasedlinearly over two days to 20 ng/sg fr wt, the same value asin unstressed cotyledons. These results indicate that the effect of water stress on thehypocotyl growth was reversible but that the effect on the cotyledonswas irreversible. The irreversible effect of water stress onthe growth of the cotyledons probably resulted from the inhibitionof stomatal development, but endogenous ABA did not appear toinhibit the development. (Received March 24, 1986; Accepted June 25, 1986)     

NCS对离体萝卜子叶微体中酶活性及细胞超微结构的影响

研究了天然生物活性物质narciclasine(NCS)对离体萝卜子叶光下生长发育期间叶绿素含量变化、异柠檬酸裂解酶及羟基丙酮酸还原酶活性的影响;并对萝卜子叶细胞的超微结构变化进行了观察。结果表明,NCS明显抑制光下培养的离体萝卜子叶叶绿素含量及鲜重增加,对异柠檬酸裂解酶及羟基丙酮酸还原酶活性也显示出明显的抑制作用。电镜观察显示,NCS对蛋白体及脂质体的降解、叶绿体的发育也表现出强烈的抑制效应。NCS的各种抑制作用均随其浓度的增加而增加,而且高浓度的NCS(10^-5mol／L)基本上完全阻止了离体萝卜子叶的光下生长及其转绿。     

Developmental and structural aspects of somatic embryos formed on medium containing 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid

Cotyledon explants of ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) zygotic embryos produced somatic embryos at a high rate (68%) on medium without any growth regulators. Under this culture condition, apparent polar somatic embryogenesis occurred near the basal-excised portion of the cotyledons. When the cotyledon explants were cultured on medium containing 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA), an auxin polar-transport inhibitor, the frequency of somatic embryo formation markedly decreased and was completely inhibited on medium containing 20 μM TIBA. On medium containing 5–10 μM, somatic embryos developed sporadically on the surface of the cotyledons and had a normal embryo axis but jar-shaped cotyledons. Embryos with jar-shaped cotyledons were also observed to occur at a high frequency when the early globular embryos formed on hormone-free medium were transferred to medium containing 20 μM TIBA. From these results, it was deduced that endogenous auxin in the cotyledon explants plays an important role in the induction of somatic embryos and that the cotyledon development in somatic embryos is also related to the polar transport of endogenous auxin. Received: 11 October 1996 / Revised version received: 8 January 1997 / Accepted: 26 January 1997     

Changes in endogenous levels of three cytokinins during development of excised watermelon cotyledons

We have determined by an immunological method the endogenous levels of three cytokinins: dihydrozeatin riboside (DHZR), transzeatin riboside (tZR) and isope-ntenyladenosine (IPA) in watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris Schrad., cv. Fairfax) cotyledons that were either attached to the seedling or excised from the seed after imbibition and then grown on water. Both seedlings and cotyledons were grown either for 5 days in continuous light or for 3 days in the dark and 2 days in light. Our aim was to verify whether endogenous cytokinin levels are lower in excised than in attached cotyledons as could be expected since excised cotyledons are much more sensitive to exogenous cytokinin application. The levels of the three cytokinins were very low immediately after imbibition, but gradually increased during the following days. They were higher in excised cotyledons after 5 days of culture in the dark than in cotyledons of the same age that had developed on the seedling. Dihydrozeatin riboside was by far the most abundant of the three cytokinins in cotyledons as well as in the hypocotyl and the root.
Irradiation reduced the level of DHZR, negating the concept that light promotes cotyledon development by increasing endogenous cytokinins. Transzeatin riboside when supplied exogenously, stimulated cotyledon development at a lower concentration than the other two cytokinins. Exogenous supply of ben-zyladenine (BA) induced a strong increase in endogenous tZR already after 24 h.     

Comparative Effects of Abscisic Acid and Methyl Jasmonate in Greening Cucumber Cotyledons and Its Application to a Bioassay for Abscisic Acid

In the cucumber cotyledon greening system, abscisic acid (ABA)is more potent inhibitor of growth and chlorophyll productionand/or destruction than methyl jasmonate (MJ). The inhibitoryeffect of ABA is apparent within 5 h of exposure to light whereasMJ is ineffective at all concentrations tested (10^–6 to10^–3 M). With longer exposure of 24 h to light and inthe presence of 40 mM KC1, the inhibition of growth and chlorophyllproduction by ABA is more pronounced whereas MJ does not inhibitgrowth and inhibits chlorophyll levels only at the higher concentrations.Both benzyladenine and KC1 stimulate chlorophyll productionand increase the fresh weights of the cucumber cotyledons andeither one of these compounds reverse the inhibitory effectsof ABA. Inhibition of chlorophyll production by ABA is valuableas a simple and rapid bioassay for abscisic acid. Under similarconditions cytokinins increase chlorophyll production and hencethe cucumber cotyledon greening system is ideal for detectingboth ABA which inhibits and cytokinins which stimulate chlorophyllproduction. (Received December 6, 1982; Accepted June 9, 1983)     

Changes in endogenous cytokinin levels in cotyledons of Cucurbita pepo (zucchini) during natural and dark-induced senescence

Cytokinin (CK) levels in cotyledons of Cucurbita pepo L. (zucchini) were investigated through the processes of post-germination, greening, natural senescence and subsequent rejuvenation. The concentrations of the physiologically active CK bases, ribosides and nucleotides, as well as the cis -isomers of zeatin derivatives, decreased between the first and fifth weeks of cultivation under controlled light conditions. At the same time, the levels of storage CK O -glucosides and physiologically inactive CK 7- and 9-glucosides increased with senescence. With plant decapitation and subsequent cotyledon rejuvenation, not only the chlorophyll content but also the levels of physiologically active CKs, nucleotides and cis -zeatin derivatives increased. The levels of O -glucosides, however, decreased. When 1-week-old seedlings were transferred to the dark, there was a progressive reduction in cotyledon chlorophyll content, deterioration of chloroplast ultrastructure and a decrease in physiologically active CKs and their nucleotides. In contrast with natural senescence, the storage CK O -glucosides decreased under dark conditions, suggesting different metabolic regulation of endogenous CK levels during natural and dark-induced senescence of zucchini cotyledons. The chlorophyll loss of dark-treated cotyledons could be partially reversed, even after 5 days, with return to light conditions. During this recovery, physiologically active CKs and their nucleotides again increased, whereas the storage CK O -glucosides and cis -zeatins decreased. The present results suggest that dark-induced destruction and subsequent restoration of chloroplasts during light shifts are controlled by changes in the levels of physiologically active CKs and their nucleotides.     

Morphology of carrot somatic embryos formed in medium with abscisic acid

Somatic embryogenesis was induced from embryogenie cells derived from cotyledon expiants cultured on MS medium supplemented with 1 mg/L 2,4-D. In order to clarify the effect of abscisic acid (ABA) on the morphology of somatic embryos, embryogénie cell clumps or developing somatic embryos were treated continuously, or briefly, with ABA during culture. When embryogenie cells in MS medium without 2,4-D were treated with 0.04 mg/L ABA for the first week, normal embryos with two cotyledons increased slightly and embryos with anomalous cotyledons decreased. However when cell clumps in 2,4-D-free medium were treated with ABA in the second week normal embryos with two cotyledons decreased prominently and this decrease of normal embryos also occurred in the continuous ABA treatment during culture. Thus the morphological abnormalities in somatic embryogenesis occurred by exogenous ABA treatment beyond globular stage or by continuous treatment. The length of somatic embryos with anomalous cotyledons was larger than that of normal embryos with two cotyledons in control but both the normal and anomalous somatic embryos treated with ABA were almost similar in length. Somatic embryos formed in medium with ABA were larger in size than those in control due mainly to enlarged cotyledons. The enlarged cotyledons were composed of a greater number of cells than those of control. Therefore the enlargement of cotyledon by exogenous ABA seems to be not due to the enlargement of cells in cotyledons.     

Changes of Endogenous ABA Content in Relevance to the Vigor of Peanut Seeds

During the development of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L. ) seed, the endogenous ABA content increased steadily'in hypocotyl, increased to a peak at 40 d after pegging with a drastic decline afterwards in testa; and in cotyledon, increased to a peak at 60 d after pegging but with a slight fall afterwards. There seemed to be a close relationship between the increose of vigor index and net loss of endogenous ABA content in the peanut seed germinating in vitro. Osmoticum (mannitol) promoted the endogenous ABA in the cotyledon and hypocotyl. and Fluridone inhibited that in the cotyledon. There were two different paths of the endogenous ABA synthesis in peanut seed, C40 in the cotyledon and C15 in the hypocotyl. When peanut seeds were put in the conditions of precocious maturation or germination tine endogenous ABA content fell down. Result from this experiment concluded that the hypocotyls played an important role in the transition from development to germination of. peanut seed.     

萝卜离体子叶衰老与膜脂过氧化的关系

萝卜离体子叶在光下或暗中衰老及激素调节衰老过程中,作为叶片衰老指标的叶绿素和蛋白质含量的降低,发生在MDA含量增高之前,更早于SOD活性的下降。表明由SOD活性降低所导致的膜脂过氧化的增强,并非衰老的原初反应,而是叶片衰老到一定程度的生理变化。因此,至少在萝卜离体子叶上,不能将其衰老的启动归因于受SOD控制的膜脂过氧化作用导致的膜累积性质变。     

The role of endogenous cytokinins in correlation between cotyledon and its axillary bud and in hypocotyl regeneration of flax

When flax seedlings are decapitated above cotyledons and three days later one of the two cotyledons is removed then the remaining cotyledon stimulates in four to five days growth of its axillary bud. It has been found that content of endogenous cytokinins was higher in the stimulated bud as compared with the other one already 12 h after the cotyledon removal. Flax seedlings decapitated under cotyledons regenerate adventitious buds on thy hypocotyl stump during 5–6 days. The endogenous fytohormonal preparation of this regeneration was investigated in the 20 mm apical part of the hypocotyl stump. Decrease in auxin and increase in gibberellins was already found during the first day after decapitation while the level of cytokinins increased as late as three days after the apex removal.     

ABA与GA_3对黄瓜离体子叶和石刁柏茎生根的影响

较高比值的内源ABA/GA_S有利于黄瓜黄化子叶和石刁柏茎不定根的发生。外源ABA具有增加组织内ABA含量并降低GA_S含量而促进生根的作用,而外源GA_S则与ABA效果相反。外源GA_S浓度为10~(-5)mol/L时,外源ABA对黄瓜子叶生根的诱导被明显抑制。子叶内GA_S含量较高的黄瓜1101品系其父本发根能力明显低于母本。ABA与GA_3对不定根发生的调控作用在黄瓜子叶离体培养的第一天最明显。     

花生种子内源ABA含量变化及其与活力的关系

花生（Ａｒａｃｈｉｓ ｈｙｐｏｇａｅａ Ｌ．）种子发育过程中,胚轴内源ＡＢＡ 含量一直是增加的;种皮内源ＡＢＡ含量在果针入土后４０ ｄ 最大,然后急剧下降;子叶内源ＡＢＡ 含量在果针入土后６０ ｄ 出现高峰,然后有轻微下降。种子活力指数和萌发时内源ＡＢＡ 的净下降量有密切关系。甘露醇可促进离体胚内源ＡＢＡ 合成,１－甲基－３－苯基－５（３－［三氟甲基］－苯基－４－（１氢）－吡啶）抑制子叶内源ＡＢＡ 的合成,子叶和胚轴存在不同的ＡＢＡ 合成途径。种子早熟和早萌处理时,内源ＡＢＡ 含量都下降,胚轴在种子由发育向萌发转换中起着十分重要的作用     

Hormonal regulation of germination and early seedling development in Acer pseudoplatanus (L.)

Summary Dormancy of intact sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) seeds was broken by chilling (5°C) for several weeks in moist conditions. Treatment of unchilled seeds with kinetin induced some germination, but gibberellin was ineffective. This stimulation by kinetin was not suppressed by the added presence of abscisic acid during incubation.The chilling requirement of intact seeds was eliminated by removal of the testa, and the naked embryos developed with no morphological abnormalities. During early growth of isolated embryos in the light, two distinct developmental processes were recognised. One involved initial elongation of the radicle accompanied by geotropic curvature and was stimulated by kinetin but not by gibberellin, while the other involved unrolling of the cotyledons, which was accelerated by gibberellin but much less by kinetin. Abscisic acid strongly suppressed both developmental processes when applied alone, inhibited cotyledon expansion in the presence of gibberellin, but failed to overcome the promotory effects of kinetin on radicle growth. Experiments with CCC indicated that under natural conditions the unrolling of the cotyledons is dependent upon endogenous gibberellin. Radicle growth of isolated embryos was unimpaired by incubation in the dark, but cotyledon expansion of water incubated embryos was poor, and although it was accelerated by gibberellin, the responses in all treatments were slower than in the corresponding light grown samples.It is suggested that endogenous cytokinins are primary factors in the initiation of radicle growth, while gibberellins are important in cotyledon expansion. Abscisic acid appears to have an inhibitory role in both processes, and the interactions of these regulators in the control of germination and development are discussed.     

The Role of ABA in the Control of Apple Seed Dormancy Re-appraised by Combined Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Measured by GC—MS²—SIR³, endogenous ABA⁴ in embryonicaxes of seeds of Malus pumila L. cv. Golden Delicious decreased8-fold and cotyledon ABA by only 60%, during 10–50 d ofstratification at 5 ?C, after ABA leaching during an initial24 h soaking. During stratification, the percentage germinationof embryos transferred to 17?C showed a significant linear dependenceon log_e of ABA levels in the axes at transfer. Between 50 and70 d, ABA levels increased markedly in axes and testa both ofstratified seeds and seeds allowed to re-dry at 17 ?C afterinitial soaking. The ability of fully stratified axes with elevatedendogenous ABA to germinate indicated that stratification haddecreased their ABA sensitivity. Changes in cotyledon ABA couldnot account for the promotory effect of cotyledons on germinationduring the first 30 d of stratification. Loss of testa inhibitionof germination during stratification was not linked with changesin testa ABA. Stratification markedly increased the sequestrationin the axes of exogenous ABA supplied via the cotyledons. Changesboth in axis ABA levels and sensitivity were thus correlatedwith dormancy release, but subject to modifying control by thecotyledons and testa not involving ABA. Rehydration of driedseeds affected axis ABA later during storage via mechanismsunconnected with dormancy. Key words: ABA, seed dormancy, stratification     

离体发育和萌发中花生种子不同部份内源ABA含量的变化

离体发育和萌发中花生种子不同部份的内源ＡＢＡ含量变化存在明显的差异．种皮和子叶内存在ＡＢＡ的Ｃ（４０）生物合成途径,胚轴内恻为Ｃ（１５）生物合成途径．种子内源ＡＢＡ含量变化和种子活力有密切关系．     

Relationships between endogenous hormonal content and direct somatic embryogenesis in Prunus persica L. Batsch cotyledons

Cotyledons of peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch cv. ZiseMay^®) were cultured in vitro on medium deprived of plant growth regulators. Two different lines varying in their embryogenic capacity were studied after 90 days in culture media. Endogenous levels of abscisic acid (ABA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), trans-zeatin (Z), trans-zeatin riboside (ZR), the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), salicylic acid (SA), and jasmonic acid (JA) were analyzed in embryogenic and non-embryogenic cotyledons. No significant differences were observed in total ABA, IAA, ZR, SA and JA concentrations between the embryogenic and non-embryogenic cotyledons. On the contrary, lower Z and ACC contents, and also a reduced balance between Z and IAA levels were related with the embryogenic capacity of the cotyledons. These results suggest that the difference in somatic embryo formation capacity observed between embryogenic and non-embryogenic cotyledons is related to their endogenous Z contents, and that the endogenous hormonal balance between Z and IAA is an important index defining the embryogenic potential in peach cotyledons.     

Differential effects of benzyladenine and potassium on DNA, RNA, protein and chlorophyll contents and on expansion growth of detached cucumber cotyledons in the dark and light

Benzyladenine (BA) and KCl were applied to detached cucumber ( Cucumis sativus L. cv. Ohio) cotyledons in continuous light or in the dark with subsequent light. BA brought about an increase in fresh weight and in DNA, RNA and carotenoid contents in both treatments. KCl did not cause an increase in fresh weight and cellular constituents in the dark, but it did result in an increased fresh weight and DNA content after illumination or in continuous light. BA + KCl treatment resulted in increased carotenoid and DNA contents in the dark, and in increases in fresh weight and all cellular constituents upon subsequent exposure to light. The effects of BA and BA + KCl on growth and chlorophyll synthesis decreased with cotyledon age.
BA pretreatment in the dark eliminated the lag phase in chlorophyll synthesis and increased the rate of synthesis. Treatment in continuous light had little effect. KCl did not shorten the lag phase in chlorophyll synthesis, but it stimulated the rate of synthesis in the light. Dark pretreatment with BA + KCl markedly increased the effect of BA on chlorophyll synthesis. Chlorophyll content and fresh weight were higher in cotyledons treated with BA followed by KCl than in cotyledons treated in the reverse order. These results suggest that growth and greening in cucumber cotyledons are primarily controlled by BA and that KCl intensifies the BA effect after irradiation.     

Senescence progression in a single darkened cotyledon depends on the light status of the other cotyledon in Cucurbita pepo (zucchini) seedlings: potential involvement of cytokinins and cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase activity

Darkness mediates different senescence-related responses depending on the targeting of dark treatment (whole plants or individual leaves) and on the organs that perceive the signal (leaves or cotyledons). As no data are available on the potential role of darkness to promote senescence when applied to individual cotyledons, we have investigated how darkness affects the progression of senescence in either a single or both individually darkened cotyledons of young 10-day-old Cucurbita pepo (zucchini) seedlings. Strong acceleration of senescence was observed when both cotyledons were darkened as judged by the damage in their anatomical structure, deterioration of chloroplast ultrastructure in parallel with decreased photosynthetic rate and photochemical quantum efficiency of PSII. In addition, the endogenous levels of cytokinins (CKs) and IAA were strongly reduced. In a single individually darkened cotyledon, the structure and function of the photosynthetic apparatus as well as the contents of endogenous CKs and IAA were much less affected by darkness, thus suggesting inhibitory effect of the illuminated cotyledon on the senescence of the darkened one. Apparently, the effect of darkness to accelerate/delay senescence in a single darkened cotyledon depends on the light status of the other cotyledon from the pair. The close positive correlation between CK content and the activity of CK oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX; EC 1.4.3.18/1.5.99.12) suggested that CKX was essentially involved in the mechanisms of downregulation of endogenous CK levels. Our results indicated that CKX-regulated CK signaling could be a possible regulatory mechanism controlling senescence in individually darkened cotyledons.     

Uptake of [2-14C]abscisic acid and distribution of 14C in apple embryos

Pyrus malus L. var. Golden delicious embryos were incubated with (±)-[2-¹⁴C]abscisic acid (ABA) (10^-5 M, 355 kBq mol^-1). After incubations of various durations, the radioactivity was measured in whole embryos, cotyledons, and embryonic axes.With either 48-h or 16-d incubation periods, the uptake of [¹⁴C]ABA depended upon the mode of culture used. The lowest values corresponded to the absorption by the embryonic axis, the highest to the absorption by the distal parts of the two cotyledons. The cotyledons accumulated the main part of the radioactivity under all conditions. Dormant and almost completely after-ripened embryos cultivated for 4 d showed no significant differences in the radioactivity uptake for identical modes of culture. There was a linear relationship between exogenous ABA concentrations (0.5 to 3.10^-5 M) and ABA uptake for embryos cultivated for 4 d with the distal parts of the cotyledons immersed in the medium.Abbreviations ABA abscisic acid. RM, RM⁺, C/2 M, and CM are different modes of embryo cultures: embryonic axis immersed alone (RM), together with the proximal parts of the cotyledons (RM⁺); distal parts of the cotyledons immersed alone (CM); embroyo flat on the medium, the root and the external surface of one cotyledon being in contact with the medium (C/2 M) - PP proximal parts of the cotyledons - DP distal parts of the cotyledons     

Influence of the Embryonic Axis on Protein Hydrolysis in Cotyledons of Cucurbita maxima

Four-day time course studies of the hydrolysis of cotyledonal storage protein were conducted on intact seeds, seed cotyledons detached from their embryonic axes and on detached cotyledon pairs germinated in the presence of three excised embryonic axes of Cucurbita maxima Duch., cv. Chicago Worted Hubbard. Detached cotyledons germinated alone showed little hydrolysis of the storage protein. However, the amount of protein hydrolysis of the detached cotyledon pairs germinated in the presence of three excised embryonic axes was comparable to the amount hydrolyzed in the cotyledons of intact germinating seeds. Visual growth differences among these treatments were also evident. The size and yellow color intensity of the fourth day treatments were shown to increase in the following order: detached cotyledon pairs alone, intact seedlings, detached cotyledon pairs in the presence of three excised axes. The growth of the hypocotyl and radical was also modified by removal of the cotyledons. These findings suggest that storage protein degradation and cotyledonal growth are controled by the axis. They also indicate that the cotyledons have some influence on the growth of the axes. Time-course studies were made on the hydrolysis of storage protein in the cotyledons of squash and on the distribution of the hydrolytic products during the germination of light- and dark-grown plants. The storage protein was not hydrolyzed during the first 24 hours. It was hydrolyzed at a uniform rate from 1 to 5 days and at a slightly decreased rate from 5 to 7 days. Most of the hydrolytic products were transported to the axial tissue. Proteinase activity in the cotyledons rapidly increased during germination to a maximum level at 2 to 3 days. This was followed by a decline to about the initial value after 7 days.