Ethylene and the growth of rice seedlings

Journal Article · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Plant Physiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5886176

Salter, S O; Kende, H

Etiolated whole rice seedlings enclosed in sealed vials produced ethylene at a rate of 0.9 picomole per hour per seedling. When 2-centimeter-long shoots were subdivided into 5-millimeter-long sections, the sections containing the tip of the shoot evolved 37% of the total ethylene with the remaining 63% being produced along a gradient decreasing to the base of the shoot. The tip of coleoptile also had the highest level of the ethylene presursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid and of the ethylene-forming enzyme activity. In short-term experiments, the growth rate of decapitated seedlings was restored to almost that of intact seedlings by application of ethylene at a concentration of 10 microliters per liter. Apart from ethylene, O/sub 2/ also participates in the control of coleoptile growth. When rice seedlings were grown in a gas mixture of N/sub 2/ and O/sub 2/, the length of the coleoptiles reached a maximum at a concentration of 2.5% O/sub 2/. Lower and higher concentrations of O/sub 2/ reduced coleoptile growth. The effect of exogenous ethylene on coleoptile growth was also O/sub 2/ dependent. 25 references, 6 figures, 3 tables.

• Research Organization: Michigan State Univ., East Lansing
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76ER01338
• OSTI ID: 5886176
• Journal Information: Plant Physiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Plant Physiol.; (United States) Vol. 79:1; ISSN PLPHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

551000* -- Physiological Systems
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ALKENES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOSYNTHESIS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CEREALS
COLEOPTILE
ELEMENTS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ETHYLENE
GRASS
GROWTH
HYDROCARBONS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
RICE
SEEDLINGS
SYNTHESIS