Stomatal control by both [ABA] in the xylem sap and leaf water status: a test of a model for draughted or ABA-fed field-grown maize

A model of maize stomatal behaviour has been developed, in which stomatal conductance is linked to the concentration of abscisic acid ([ABA]) in the xylem sap, with a sensitivity dependent upon the leaf water potential (Ψ₁). It was tested against two alternative hypotheses, namely that stomatal sensitivity to xylem [ABA] would be linked to the leaf-to-air vapour pressure difference (VPD), or to the flux of ABA into the leaf. Stomatal conductance (g_s) was studied: (1) in field-grown plants whose xylem [ABA] and Ψ₁ depended on soil water status and evaporative demand; (2) in field-grown plants fed with ABA solutions such that xylem [ABA] was artificially raised, thereby decreasing g_s and increasing Ψ₁ and leaf-to-air VPD; and (3) in ABA-fed detached leaves exposed to varying evaporative demands, but with a constant and high Ψ₁. The same relationships between g_s, xylem [ABA] and Ψ₁, showing lower stomatal sensitivity to [ABA] at high Ψ₁, applied whether variations in xylem [ABA] were due to natural increase or to feeding, and whether variations in Ψ₁, were due to changes in evaporative demand or to the increased Ψ₁ observed in ABA-fed plants. Conversely, neither the leaf-to-air VPD nor the ABA flux into the leaf accounted for the observed changes in stomatal sensitivity to xylem [ABA]. The model, using parameters calculated from previous field data and the detached-leaf data, was tested against the observations of both ABA-fed and droughted plants in the field. It accounted with reasonable accuracy for changes in g_s (r² ranging from 0.77 to 0.81). These results support the view that modelling of stomatal behaviour requires consideration of both chemical and hydraulic aspects of root-to-shoot communication.     

Inheritance of RAPDs in F1 hybrids of corn

Summary Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were analyzed in materials from a partial diallel, including 16 corn F₁ hybrids (with five reciprocals) and their five parental inbreds. Using 21 primers, we scored a total of 140 different fragments for their presence/absence and intensity variation, where appropriate. When all 21 genotypes were taken into consideration, 20.7% of these fragments were nonpolymorphic, 37.1% were unambiguously polymorphic, and 42.1% were quantitatively polymorphic. Unambiguous polymorphisms were distinguished by the simple presence or absence of a specific fragment in the inbred genotypes, whereas quantitative polymorphisms exhibited a variation in the intensity of a fragment. Of the F₁ patterns, 95.2% of the unambiguously polymorphic situations could be interpreted genetically by assuming complete dominance of the presence of the parental fragment, while 3.2% of the F₁ patterns exhibited a fragment intensity that was intermediate between the two parental patterns (partial dominance). For quantitative polymorphisms, values of 88.1% for complete dominance and 5.0% for partial dominance were obtained. The results suggest that specific types of errors can be detected in RAPD analysis, that uniparental inheritance is not common, and that RAPD analysis might be more prudently used for some applications than for others.     

The transposable element En/Spm-encoded TNPA protein contains a DNA binding and a dimerization domain

The En/Spm-encoded TNPA protein binds to 12-bp DNA sequence motifs that are present in the sub-termini of the transposable element. DNA binding of TNPA to monomeric and dimeric forms of the binding motif was analyzed by gel retardation and cross-linking studies. A DNA binding domain at the N-terminal and a dimerization domain at the C-terminal portion of TNPA were localized using deletion derivatives of TNPA. These domains are novel since no apparent homology has been found in the data bases. The stoichiometry of the TNPA-DNA complexes was analyzed. A special complex is formed with a tail-to-tail dimeric DNA binding motif, most probably involving two DNA-bound TNPA molecules that interact via their dimerization domains. In redox reactions the requirement for one or two disulfide bonds for DNA binding of TNPA was shown. The implications of these findings for the excision mechanism of En/Spm are discussed.     

Antioxidative protection in a drought-resistant maize strain during leaf senescence

Leaves of 7- and 18-day-old plants of two maize strains, one resistant (LIZA) and one sensitive (LG11) to water stress, were floated in 1 m M paraquat and 1 m M H₂O₂ for 12 h in light and in darkness. The aim of this work was to analyse the effects of these substances on the activities of enzymes involved in the scavenging of active oxygen species during senescence. Three senescence parameters; chlorophyll loss, lipid peroxidation and conductivity; showed a general cell damage caused by both oxidative treatments and revealed a higher tolerance of LIZA than LG11 to paraquat and H₂O₂ both in light and in darkness. Activities of antioxidative enzymes increased by the effect of oxidative treatments in young and senescent leaves of the drought-resistant maize strain LIZA. These increases were about 3-to 6-fold in glutathione reductase. 3-to 4-fold in superoxide dismutase and 2-fold in ascorbate peroxidase activities. The possible correlation between water stress resistance. senescence and the potential of antioxidant enzymes was analysed.     

Evaluation of strategy I mechanisms in iron efficient and inefficient maize cultivars

The iron (Fe) efficient maize cultivar WF9 and the Fe inefficient maize mutant ys1 were grown in nutrient solutions with varied Fe supply. Changes in pH, reducing capacity of the roots and the release of Fe(III) reducing compounds were monitored over a period of 11 days. In both cultivars under Fe deficiency, there was no increased release of protons or reducing compounds and no increased reducing capacity of the roots. Indeed, the Fe(III) reduction of the roots of both cultivars tended to be higher in Fe sufficient plants. In contrast to some recent reports, these results demonstrate that the Fe efficient maize cultivar WF9 does not respond to Fe deficiency by strategy I mechanisms. This suggests that differences in Fe efficiency between the two cultivars are probably due to use of strategy II mechanisms for Fe acquisition.     

The influence of NO3 - and NH4 + nutrition on the carbon and nitrogen partitioning characteristics of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) plants

The carbon and nitrogen partitioning characteristics of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) grown hydroponically at a constant pH on either 4 mM or 12 mM NO₃ ^- or NH₄ ⁺ nutrition were investigated using either ¹⁴C or ¹⁵N techniques. Greater allocation of ¹⁴C to amino-N fractions occurred at the expense of allocation of ¹⁴C to carbohydrate fractions in NH₄ ⁺-compared to NO₃ ^--fed plants. The [¹⁴C]carbohydrate:[¹⁴C]amino-N ratios were 1.5-fold and 2.0-fold greater in shoots and roots respectively of 12 mM NO₃ ^--compared to 12 mM NH₄ ⁺-fed wheat. In both 4 mM and 12 mM N-fed maize the [¹⁴C]carbohydrate:[¹⁴C]amino-N ratios were approximately 1.7-fold and 2.0-fold greater in shoots and roots respectively of NO₃ ^--compared to NH₄ ⁺-fed plants. Similar results were observed in roots of wheat and maize grown in split-root culture with one root-half in NO₃ ^--and the other in NH₄ ⁺-containing nutrient media. Thus the allocation of carbon to the amino-N fractions occurred at the expense of carbohydrate fractions, particularly within the root. Allocation of ¹⁴N and ¹⁵N within separate sets of plants confirmed that NH₄ ^--fed plants accumulated more amino-N compounds than NO₃ ^--fed plants. Wheat roots supplied with ¹⁵NH₄ ⁺ for 8 h were found to accumulate ¹⁵NH₄ ⁺ (8.5 g ¹⁵N g^-1 h^-1) whereas in maize roots very little ¹⁵NH₄ ⁺ accumulated (1.5 g ¹⁵N g^-1 h^-1)It is proposed that the observed accumulation of ¹⁵NH₄ ⁺ in wheat roots in these experiments is the result of limited availability of carbon within the roots of the wheat plants for the detoxification of NH₄ ⁺, in contrast to the situation in maize. Higher photosynthetic capacity and lower shoot: root ratios of the C₄ maize plants ensure greater carbon availability to the root than in the C₃ wheat plants. These differences in carbon and nitrogen partitioning between NO₃ ^--and NH₄ ⁺-fed wheat and maize could be responsible for different responses of wheat and maize root growth to NO₃ ^- and NH₄ ⁺ nutrition.     

What is in the intercellular spaces of roots? Evidence from the cryo-analytical-scanning electron microscope

The schizogenous intercellular spaces (i. e. those small spaces formed by cell walls coming apart) in the cortex of the roots of field-grown maize ( Zea mays L.) were studied in planed transverse faces of frozen tissue, very lightly etched and coated with Al. The spaces were mostly filled with either fluid or, in the drier roots, with a flaky deposit. This deposit may have been left behind when water was withdrawn, or may have been debris dislodged by the planing. Even in roots with mostly dry spaces, some wet, fluid-filled spaces remained. X-ray microanalysis of the wet spaces revealed that the fluid contained K (average concentration 230 m M , range 50–750 m M ) and Ca (average concentration 100 m M , range 15 to 550 m M ), and occasionally small amounts of S, P or Cl. No other balancing inorganic anions were detected. Concentrations in the wet intercellular spaces showed considerable variation between one space and the next, and were often quite different from those in the vacuoles of adjacent cells. However, overall the vacuoles of the cells surrounding the spaces showed mean concentrations, and distributions of concentrations, indistinguishable from those of the wet spaces. Analyses of the deposits in the dry spaces were less reliable because of their uneven surface, but the same ions in about the same amounts were found there. The contents of the spaces showed no correlation with either the time of collection of the roots, or with distance from the root tip. Nor was there any change in concentration of these ions in the spaces when the roots were grown for 19 h in distilled water mist. Experiments and evidence are presented suggesting that the observed distribution of ions is probably not an artefact. Pilot experiments showed similar distributions of extracellular ions in roots of barley, Sudan grass and soybean