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Phytochromes and seed germination

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

Jorge J. Casal  and
Rodolfo A. Sánchez
Jorge J. Casal*
Affiliation:
IFEVA, Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av San Martín 4453, 1417-Buenos Aires, Argentina
Rodolfo A. Sánchez
Affiliation:
IFEVA, Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av San Martín 4453, 1417-Buenos Aires, Argentina
*
* Fax (541) 521-1384 E-mail jjcasal@ifeva edu ar
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Abstract

The control of seed germination by red and far-red light is one of the earliest documented phytochrome-mediated processes Phytochrome is now known to be a small family of photoreceptors whose apoproteins are encoded by different genes Phytochrome B (phyB) is present in dry seeds and affects germination of dark imbibed seeds but other phytochromes could also be involved Phytochrome A (phyA) appears after several hours of imbibition and mediates very-low-fluence responses PhyB and other phytochromes different from phyA mediate the classical low-fluence responses The phytochrome involved in high-irradiance responses of seed germination (inhibition of germination under continuous far-red) has not been unequivocally established, although phyA is the most likely candidate Phytochrome can affect embryo growth capacity and/or the constraint imposed by the tissues surrounding the embryo At least in some species, gibberellins participate in the signalling process In the field, phyA has been implicated in the perception of light during soil cultivations, and phyB would be involved in the perception of red/far-red ratios associated with the presence of gaps in the canopy This review describes recent advances in phytochrome research, particularly those derived from the analysis of germination in specific mutants, and their connection with traditional observations on phytochrome control of seed germination

Keywords

High-irradiance responselow-fluence responsephytochrome Aphytochrome Bphytochrome mutantsseed germinationvery-low-fluence response
Type
Invited Review
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 8 , Issue 3 , September 1998 , pp. 317 - 329
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

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