Hostname: page-component-54dcc4c588-sdd8f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-09-21T18:19:40.305Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The role of abscisic acid in germination of light-sensitive and light-insensitive lettuce seeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2007

Nurit Roth-Bejerano ,
Norbert J.A. Sedee ,
Rene M. van der Meulen  and
Mei Wang
Nurit Roth-Bejerano*
Affiliation:
Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
Norbert J.A. Sedee
Affiliation:
Center for Phytotechnology RUL/TNO, Department of Plant Molecular Biotechnology, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands
Rene M. van der Meulen
Affiliation:
Center for Phytotechnology RUL/TNO, Department of Plant Molecular Biotechnology, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands
Mei Wang
Affiliation:
Center for Phytotechnology RUL/TNO, Department of Plant Molecular Biotechnology, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands
*
*Correspondence Fax: 972 7 6472 992 Email: nuritrb@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The role of abscisic acid (ABA) in seed germination of two cultivars of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.; light-sensitive Ritsa and light-insensitive Strada) was investigated. The inhibition of Ritsa seed germination by exogenous ABA was higher than that of Strada seeds, the extent of inhibition of both cultivars being reduced by a short light break. At 25°C the sensitivity of both cultivars to exogenous ABA was higher than at 15°C. The endogenous level of ABA was similar in dry seeds of both cultivars, increasing temporarily in Ritsa seeds during the first 4 h of imbibition in darkness but not in Strada seeds, nor in Ritsa seeds exposed to a short light break. The transitory increase of ABA content in Ritsa seeds imbibed in darkness was accompanied by increased expression of the gene responsive to ABA (Rab) under these conditions. Zorial (Norflurazone), an ABA-biosynthesis inhibitor, decreased ABA content and allowed dark germination of the light-requiring Ritsa seeds. A short light break induced germination of Ritsa seeds when applied at 24 and 48 h after imbibition onset, i.e. after the transitory increase of ABA. GA3, on the other hand was effective when applied at the beginning of imbibition. It seems that light induces germination of the photoblastic Ritsa seeds by both inhibiting ABA synthesis and decreasing seed sensitivity to ABA and inhibitory processes induced by it.

Keywords

ABAgerminationgibberellic acidLactuca sativa LlightZorialNorflurazoneRab-gene expression

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , February 1999 , pp. 129 - 134
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Braun, W.J. and Khan, A. (1975) Endogenous abscisic acid levels in germinating and nongerminating lettuce seed. Plant Physiology 56, 731–733.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Corbineau, F., Poljakoff-Mayber, A. and Côme, D. (1991) Responsiveness to abscisic acid of embryos of dormant oat (Avena sativa) seeds. Involvement of ABA-inducible proteins. Physiologia Plantarum 83, 1–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Espelund, M., de Bedout, J.A., Outlaw, W.H. Jr. and Jakobsen, K.S. (1995) Environmental and hormonal regulation of barley late-embryogenesis-abundant (Lea) mRNAs is via different signal transduction pathways. Plant, Cell and Environment 18, 943–949.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heimovaara-Dijkstra, S., Van Duijn, B., Libbenga, K.R., Heidekamp, F. and Wang, M. (1994) Abscisic acidinduced membrane potential changes in barley aleurone protoplasts: a possible relevance for the regulation of RAB gene expression. Plant and Cell Physiology 35, 743–750.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kristie, D.N. and Fielding, A. (1994) Influence of temperature on the Pfr level required for germination in lettuce cv. Grand Rapids. Seed Science Research 4, 19–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lado, P., Rasi-Caldogno, F. and Colombo, R. (1974) Promoting effect of fusicoccin on seed germination. Physiologia Plantarum 31, 149–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ried, J.L. and Walker-Simmons, M.K. (1990) Synthesis of abscisic acid-responsive, heat-stable proteins in embryonic axes of dormant wheat grain. Plant Physiology 93, 662–667.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Skriver, K. and Mundy, J. (1990) Gene expression in response to abscisic acid and osmotic stress. The Plant Cell 2, 503–512.Google ScholarPubMed
Toyomasu, T., Yamane, H., Murofushi, N. and Inoue, Y. (1994) Effects of exogenously applied gibberellin and red light on the endogenous levels of abscisic acid in photoblastic lettuce seeds. Plant and Cell Physiology 35, 127–129.Google Scholar
Van Beckum, J.M.M., Libbenga, K.R. and Wang, M. (1993) Abscisic acid and gibberellic acid-regulated responses of embryos and aleurone layers isolated from dormant and nondormant barley grains. Physiologia Plantarum 89, 483–489.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Visser, K., Vissers, A.P.A., Cagirgan, M.I., Kijne, J.W. and Wang, M. (1996) Rapid germination of a barley mutant is correlated with a rapid turnover of abscisic acid outside the embryo. Plant Physiology 111, 1127–1133.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Walker-Simmons, M.K. (1987) ABA levels and sensitivity in developing wheat embryos of sprouting resistant and susceptible cultivars. Plant Physiology 84, 61–66.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wang, M., Van Duijn, B., Van der Meulen, R.M. and Heidekamp, F. (1992) Effect of abscisic acid and abscisic acid analogues on intracellular calcium level and gene expression in barley aleurone protoplasts. pp 635–642 in Karssen, C.M.; Van Loon, L.C.; Vreugdenhil, D. (Eds) Progress in plant growth regulation, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, Kluwer Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, M., Heimovaara-Dijkstra, S. and Van Duijn, B. (1995) Modulation of germination of embryos isolated from dormant and nondormant barley grains by manipulation of endogenous abscisic acid. Planta 195, 586–592.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yoshioka, T., Endo, T. and Satoh, S. (1998) Restoration of seed germination at supraoptimal temperatures by fluridone, an inhibitor of abscisic acid biosynthesis. Plant and Cell Physiology 39, 307–312.CrossRefGoogle Scholar