Exogenous auxin depletion renders an Arachis hypogea suspension culture sensitive to water loss without affecting cell growth

Abstract.

A suspension cell culture was initiated from callus cells originating from Arachis hypogea cotyledon explants in the presence of 1-napthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). Exogenous NAA depletion did not affect the growth of these cells, indicating them to be auxin-autotrophic in nature. Unlike the NAA-supplemented counterparts, the NAA-depleted cells were unable to grow after being exposed to stress conditions that led to the loss of water. The rate and amount of water loss from both the NAA-supplemented and the NAA-deprived cells were found to be the same, indicating that the presence of NAA did not enable stress avoidance. Our results suggest that NAA contributed tolerance to these cells by allowing them to recover after water loss.