Abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate as regulators of ethylene biosynthesis during somatic embryogenesis of Medicago sativa L.

Effects of abscisic acid (ABA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on ethylene production, ACC oxidase (ACO) activity, and content of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) during indirect somatic embryogenesis (SE) of Medicago sativa L. were studied. ABA and MeJA, at 50 μM, were applied during the induction, proliferation, or differentiation phase. ABA decreased ethylene production at the beginning of callus and SE induction and during the differentiation of somatic embryos. The hormone inhibited ACO activity in explants with overgrowing callus during the first two weeks of induction, in embryogenic suspension and also in differentiating embryos. The ACC content was reduced by ABA in callus at the end of SE induction, in embryogenic suspension and in globular embryos, but elevated in cotyledonary embryos. MeJA had no significant effect on ethylene production during M. sativa SE, despite the fact, that it inhibited ACO activity during the first two weeks of induction and in torpedo and cotyledonary embryos. The ACC content was increased by MeJA in 14-day-old callus and embryogenic suspension but was inhibited in globular embryos. Both ABA and MeJA seem to be involved in the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis during distinct phases of SE in M. sativa. It might be considered that exogenous ABA, more probably than MeJA, exerts its inhibitory effect on M. sativa somatic embryo formation by modifying ethylene production.