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Effects of fusicoccin and gibberellic acid on the germination of embryos from dormant barley grains: roles of starch degradation and external pH

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2007

René M. van der Meulen ,
Gerda E.M. Lamers ,
Martien P.M. Caspers ,
Jolanda C. Heistek ,
Albertus H. de Boer ,
Bert van Duijn  and
Mei Wang
René M. van der Meulen
Affiliation:
Center for Phytotechnology RUL/TNO, TNO Applied Plant Sciences Department, Wassenaarseweg 64, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands
Gerda E.M. Lamers
Affiliation:
Center for Phytotechnology RUL/TNO, EMCA Unit, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 64, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands
Martien P.M. Caspers
Affiliation:
Center for Phytotechnology RUL/TNO, TNO Applied Plant Sciences Department, Wassenaarseweg 64, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands
Jolanda C. Heistek
Affiliation:
Center for Phytotechnology RUL/TNO, TNO Applied Plant Sciences Department, Wassenaarseweg 64, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands
Albertus H. de Boer
Affiliation:
Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute for Molecular Biological Sciences, BioCentrum, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Bert van Duijn
Affiliation:
Center for Phytotechnology RUL/TNO, TNO Applied Plant Sciences Department, Wassenaarseweg 64, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands
Mei Wang*
Affiliation:
Center for Phytotechnology RUL/TNO, TNO Applied Plant Sciences Department, Wassenaarseweg 64, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands
*
Correspondence Tel: +31–71–5274914 Fax: +31–71–5274863 Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Abstract In isolated embryos from dormant barley grains, synergistic effects of fusicoccin (FC) and gibberellic acid (GA3) were observed on the induction of α-amylase mRNA expression. However, no α-amylase mRNA expression could be induced by both agents in embryos from non-dormant grains. Both light- and electron-microscopy studies demonstrated that there were large numbers of starch granules present in mature embryos (mainly in scutellum) from dormant barley grains but none or almost none in embryos from non-dormant grains. Furthermore, the content of reducing sugars in embryos from dormant grains was about half of that from non-dormant grains. In contrast to GA3, FC was able to induce a strong acidification of extracellular pH (pHe). Clamping the pHe to prevent FC-induced acidification, by using 50 mM MES buffer (pH 5.6), caused an inhibition of GA3- or FC-induced α-amylase mRNA expression but did not affect the germination of embryos from dormant grains. In addition, in MES buffer, addition of FC or a combination of FC and GA3increased the germination rate of embryos isolated from dormant grains, though large numbers of starch granules were still present in these embryos. Based on these observations, the presence of starch granules and a low reducing sugar level in embryos from dormant grains is not a factor for control of grain dormancy and germination.

Keywords

α-amylasedormancyembryo germinationfusicoccingibberellic acidHordeum distichumpHstarch degradation
Type
Research Article
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , June 2000 , pp. 171 - 182
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

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