Hostname: page-component-84b7d79bbc-lrf7s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-29T07:59:26.508Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Termination of hull-imposed dormancy in developing barley grains is correlated with changes in embryonic ABA levels and sensitivity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2007

Roberto L. Benech-Arnold ,
M. Cristina Giallorenzi ,
Julieta Frank  and
Verónica Rodriguez
Roberto L. Benech-Arnold*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Cátedra de Cerealicultura, IFEVA, University of Buenos Aires, Av San Martín 4453. (1417) Buenos Aires, Argentina
M. Cristina Giallorenzi
Affiliation:
Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Cátedra de Cerealicultura, IFEVA, University of Buenos Aires, Av San Martín 4453. (1417) Buenos Aires, Argentina
Julieta Frank
Affiliation:
Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Cátedra de Cerealicultura, IFEVA, University of Buenos Aires, Av San Martín 4453. (1417) Buenos Aires, Argentina
Verónica Rodriguez
Affiliation:
Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Cátedra de Cerealicultura, IFEVA, University of Buenos Aires, Av San Martín 4453. (1417) Buenos Aires, Argentina
*
*Correspondence Fax: +54 1 521 1384 Email: benech@ifeva.edu.ar
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

We studied changes in dormancy (as imposed by the different structures surrounding the embryo, namely, endosperm, pericarp and glumellae) and its relationship with changes in embryonic ABA levels and sensitivity, in developing grains of two commercial barley cultivars: B 1215 and Quilmes Palomar, which have, respectively, a low and high dormancy level at harvest and, consequently, a contrasting sprouting behaviour in rainy years. Dormancy imposed by endosperm plus pericarp was gradually and similarly alleviated throughout development in both cultivars. The presence of the hull (glumellae), in contrast, completely inhibited germination of grains from both cultivars until physiological maturity (PM). From there on, hull-imposed dormancy was removed abruptly in B 1215 grains, while in Q. Palomar ones, it was removed at a much lower rate. This difference determined the contrasting sprouting behaviour of these two cultivars within the ‘time window’ going from PM to crop harvest. Embryonic ABA content and sensitivity were similar in the two cultivars throughout development until PM. From there on, ABA content and sensitivity in B 1215 embryos declined dramatically coinciding with the abrupt termination of hull-imposed dormancy observed in this cultivar. In contrast, ABA levels in Q. Palomar embryos remained high for longer and sensitivity to ABA declined at a much slower rate. This correlation suggests that hull-imposed dormancy in barley might be regulated by embryonic ABA levels and / or sensitivity. Inhibition of GA synthesis with paclobutrazol applied after anthesis lowered the germination capacity of grains from both cultivars without altering that of the naked caryopses, thus further suggesting that hull-imposed dormancy is under hormonal control.

Keywords

abscisic acidbarleyseed developmentseed dormancysprouting
Type
Research Article
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 9 , Issue 1 , January 1999 , pp. 39 - 47
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.)

References

Auranen, M. (1995) Pre-harvest sprouting and dormancy in malting barley in northern climatic conditions. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica 45, 89–95.Google Scholar
Benech-Arnold, R.L., Fenner, M. and Edwards, P.J. (1991) Changes in germinability, ABA levels and ABA embryonic sensitivity in developing seeds of Sorghum bicolor induced by water stress during grain filling. New Phytologist 118, 339–347.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Benech-Arnold, R.L., Fenner, M. and Edwards, P.J. (1995a) Influence of potassium nutrition on germinability, ABA content and embryonic sensitivity to ABA of developing seeds of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. New Phytologist 130, 207–216.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benech-Arnold, R.L., Steinbach, H.S., Kristof, G. and Sánchez, R.A. (1995b) Fluctuating temperatures have different effects on embryonic sensitivity to ABA in Sorghum varieties with contrasting pre-harvest susceptibility. Journal of Experimental Botany 46, 711–717.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berrie, A.M.M., Buller, D., Don, R. and Parker, W. (1979) Possible role of volatile fatty acid in the dormancy of oats. Plant Physiology 563, 758–764.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bewley, J.D. and Black, M. (1994) Seeds. Physiology of development and germination. (2nd edition) New York, Plenum Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Black, M., Butler, J. and Hughes, M. (1987) Control and development of dormancy in cereals. pp. 379–392in Mares, D. (Ed.) Proceedings of the IV Symposium on preharvest sprouting in cereals.Google Scholar
Black, M. (1991) Involvement of ABA in the physiology of developing and mature seeds. pp. 99–124, in Davies, W.J. (Ed.) Abscisic acid physiology and biochemistry. Oxford, Bios Scientific Publishers Limited.Google Scholar
Bradford, K.J. and Trewavas, A.J. (1994) Sensitivity thresholds and variable time scales in plant hormone action. Plant Physiology 105, 1029–1036.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buraas, T. and Skinnes, H. (1985) Development of seed dormancy in barley, wheat and triticale under controlled conditions. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica 35, 233–244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Corbineau, F. and Côme, D. (1980) Quelques caractéristiques de la dormance du caryopse d'Orge (Hordeum vulgare variété Sonja). Comptes Rendues de l'Academie des Sciences de Paris, Série D. 280, 547–550.Google Scholar
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
Fong, F., Smith, J.D. and Koehler, D.E. (1983) Early events in maize seed development. Plant Physiology 73, 899–901.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gate, P. (1995) Ecophysiologie de la germination sur pied. Perspectives Agricoles 204, 22–29.Google Scholar
Goldbach, H. and Michael, G. (1976) Abscisic acid content of barley grains during ripening as affected by temperature and variety. Crop Science 16, 797–799.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jacobsen, J.V. and Beach, L.R. (1985) Control of transcription of alpha-amylase and r-RNA genes in barley aleurone protoplasts by gibberellin and abscisic acid. Nature 316, 275–277.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jacobsen, J.V., Gubler, F. and Chandler, P.M. (1995) Gibberellin action in germinated cereal grains. pp. 246–271in Davies, P. (Ed.) Plant hormones. Physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology. Dordrecht, The Netherlands, Kluwer Academic Publishers.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karssen, C.M., Brinkhorst-Van der Swan, D.L.C., Breekland, A.E. and Koorneef, M. (1983) Induction of dormancy during seed development by endogenous abscisic acid: studies on abscisic acid deficient genotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.). Planta 157, 158–165.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
King, R.W. (1982) Abscisic acid in seed development. pp. 157–181in Kahn, A.A. (Ed.) The physiology and biochemistry of seed development, dormancy and germination. Amsterdam, Elsevier Biomedical Press.Google Scholar
Lecat, S., Corbineau, F., and Côme, D. (1992) Effects of gibberellic acid on the germination of dormant oat (Avena sativa L.) seeds as related to temperature, oxygen and energy metabolism. Seed Science and Technology 20, 421–433.Google Scholar
Lenoir, C., Corbineau, F. and Côme, D. (1986) Barley (Hordeum vulgare) seed dormancy as related to glumella characteristics. Physiologia Plantarum 68, 301–307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morris, P.C., Jewer, P.C. and Bowles, D.J. (1991) Changes in water relations and endogenous abscisic acid content of wheat and barley grains and embryos during development. Plant, Cell and Environment 14, 443–446.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mundy, J. (1984) Hormonal regulation of alpha-amylase inhibitor synthesis in germinating barley. Carlsberg Research Communications 49, 439–444.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Neil, S.J. and Horgan, R. (1987) Abscisic acid and related compounds. pp. 111–167in Rivier, L..; Crozier, A. (Eds) The principles and practice of plant hormone analysis. London, Academic Press.Google Scholar
Norstog, K. and Klein, R.M. (1972) Development of cultured barley embryos. II. Precocious germination and dormancy. Canadian Journal of Botany 50, 1887–1894.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pagano, E.A., Benech-Arnold, R.L., Wawrzkiewics, M. and Steinbach, H.S. (1997) Alpha-amylase activity in developing Sorghum caryopses from sprouting resistant and susceptible varieties. The role of ABA and GAs on its regulation. Annals of Botany 79, 13–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quarrie, S.A., Tuberosa, R. and Lister, P.G. (1988) Abscisic acid in developing grains of wheat and barley genotypes differing in grain weight. Plant Growth Regulation 7, 3–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robertson, M., Walker-Simmons, M.K., Munro, D. and Hill, R.D. (1989) Induction of alpha-amylase inhibitor synthesis in barley embryos and young seedlings by abscisic acid and dehydration stress. Plant Physiology 91, 415–420.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robichaud, C.S., Wong, J. and Sussex, I.M. (1980) Control of in vitro growth of viviparous embryo mutants of maize by abscisic acid. Developmental Genetics 1, 325–330.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simpson, G.M. (1990) Seed dormancy in grasses. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steinbach, H.S., Benech-Arnold, R.L., Kristof, G., Sánchez, R.A. and Marcucci Poltri, S. (1995) Physiological basis of pre-harvest sprouting resistance in Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. ABA levels and sensitivity in developing embryos of sprouting resistant and susceptible varieties. Journal of Experimental Botany 45, 701–709.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steinbach, H.S., Benech-Arnold, R.L. and Sánchez, R.A. (1997) Hormonal regulation of dormancy in developing Sorghum seeds. Plant Physiology 113, 149–154.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
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. (1987) ABA levels and sensitivity in developing wheat embryos of sprouting resistant and susceptible cultivars. Plant Physiology 84, 61–66.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wang, M., Bakhuizen, R., Heimovaara-Dijkstra, S., Zeijl, M.J., De Vries, M.A., Van Beckum, J.M. and Sinjorgo, K.M.C. (1994) The role of ABA and GA in barley grain dormancy: A comparative study between embryo dormancy and aleurone dormancy. Russian Journal of Plant Physiology 41, 577–584.Google Scholar
Wang, M., Heimovaara-Dijkstra, S. and Van Duijn, B. (1995) Modulation of germination of embryos isolated from dormant and non-dormant grains by manipulation of endogenous abscisic acid. Planta 195, 586–592.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, M., van der Meulen, R.M., Visser, K., Van Schaik, H.-P.., Van Duijn, B. and de Boer, A.H. (1998) Effects of dormancy-breaking chemicals on ABA levels in barley grain embryos. Seed Science Research 8, 129–137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weidner, S., Paprocka, J., Kamieniecki, B. and Zadernowski, R. (1992) The role of phenolic acids in dormancy of barley caryopses. pp. 200–211in Walker-Simmons, M.K..; Reid, J.L. (Eds) Pre-harvest sprouting in cereals 1992. St Paul, Minnesota, USA, American Association of Cereal Chemists.Google Scholar
Xu, N., Coulter, K.M. and Bewley, J.D. (1990) Abscisic acid and osmoticum prevent germination of developing alfalfa embryos, but only osmoticum maintains the synthesis of developmental proteins. Planta 182, 382–390.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed