Water stress and indol-3yl-acetic acid content of maize roots

Water-stress conditions were applied to the apical 12 mm of intact or excised roots ofZea mays L. (cv. LG 11) using mannitol solutions (0 to 0.66 M) and changes in weight, water content, growth and IAA level of these roots were investigated. With increasing stress a decrease in growth, correlated with an increased IAA level, was observed. The largest increase in IAA (about 2.7-fold) was found in the apical 5 mm of the root and was obtained under a stress corresponding to an osmotic potential of −1.39 MPa in the solution. This stress led to an isotonic state in the cells after 1 h. When the duration of water stress (−1.09 MPa) was increased to 2 or 3 h, no further increase in the IAA content was observed in the root segments. This indicated that there was no correlation between a hypothetical passive penetration of mannitol in the cells and IAA content. Indol-3yl-acetic acid rose to the same level in excised as in intact roots. In both cases, IAA accumulation was apparently independent of the hydrolysis of the conjugated form. The caryopsis and shoot seem not to be necessary to induce the increase of the IAA level in the roots during water stress (−1.09 MPa). Therefore, there seems to be a high rate of IAA biosynthesis in excised maize roots under water-stress conditions. Exodiffusion of IAA was observed during an immersion in either buffer or stress (−1.09 MPa) solution. In both cases, this IAA efflux into the medium represented about 50% of the endogenous level. Considering the present results, IAA appears to play an important part in the regulation of maize root metabolism and growth under water deficiency.