Abstract
Maize (Zea mays L.) seeds differ in their relative tolerance to the anaerobic environment caused by flooding. Seed tolerance to flooding stress depends on cellular and metabolic processes since gross anatomical responses have not developed at the pre-emergence stage. The study reported here characterizes the activities of four anaerobic respiratory enzymes: pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and malic enzyme (ME) in the flood-tolerant A632 and floodsusceptible Mo 17 inbred maize seeds during flooding at 10 and 25°C. Each inbred consisted of two seed lots possessing 95% and 75% germination levels. Flooding increased the activities of all four enzymes. However, no consistent correlation between anaerobic enzyme activity and flood tolerance was observed across genotype, seed quality and flooding temperature. The results indicate that it may not be feasible to use whole-seed anaerobic enzyme activities to predict maize seed performance under flooding stress.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Association of Official Seed Analysts 1981 Rules for testing seeds. J. Seed Technol. 6, 30–84.
Bradford M M 1976 A rapid and sensitive method for quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein dye binding. Anal. Biochem. 72, 248–254.
Cameron D S and Cossins E A 1967 Studies of intermediary metabolism in germinating pea cotyledons. The pathway of ethanol metabolism and the role of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Biochem. J. 105, 323.
Chow K H 1984 Alcohol dehydrogenase synthesis and waterlogging tolerance in maize. Tropical Agric. 61, 302–304.
Cossins E A and Turner E R 1962 Losses of alcohol and alchol dehydrogenase activity in germinating seed. Ann. Bot. N. S. 26, 591–597.
Crawford, R M M 1967 Alcohol dehydrogenase activity in relation to flooding tolerance in roots. J. Exp. Bot. 18, 458–464.
Crawford R M M 1977 Tolerance of anoxia and ethanol metabolism in germinating seeds. New Phytol. 79, 511–517.
Crwford R M M 1978 Metabolic adaptations to anoxia. Plant Life in Anaerobic Environments. Eds. D D Hook and R M M Crawford. pp 119–136.
Davies D D and Davies S 1972 Purification and properties of L(+)-lactate dehydrogenase from potato tubers. Biochem. J. 129, 831–839.
Davies D D, Nascimento K H and Patil K D 1974 The distribution and properties of NADP malic enzyme in flowering plants. Phytochemistry 13, 2417–2425.
Fausey N R and McDonald M B 1985 Emergence of inbred and hybrid corn following flooding. Agron. J. 77, 51–56.
Fausey N R Van Toai T and McDonald Jr M B 1985 Responses of ten corn cultivars to flooding. Trans. of the ASAE, 28, 1794–1797.
Garcia-Nova F and Crawford R M M 1973 Soil aeration, nitrate reduction and flooding tolerance in higher plants. New Phytol. 72, 1031–1038.
Hook D D, Brown C l and Kormanik P O 1971 Inductive flood tolerance in swamp tupelo. J. Exp. Bot. 22, 78–89.
Hook D D and Scholtens J R 1978 Adaptations and flood tolerance of tree species.In Plant Life in Anaerobic Environments. Eds. D D Hook and R M M Crawford. pp 299–332. Ann Arbor Science Publishers, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI.
Kohl J, Baierova J, Radke G and Ramshorn K 1978 Regulative interaction between anaerobic catabolism and nitrogen assimilation as related to oxygen deficiency in maize roots.In Plant Life in Anaerobic Environments. Eds. D D Hook and R M M Crawford. pp 473–496. ANN Arbor Science Publishers, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI.
Lai Y and Scandalios J G 1982 Purification and characterization of an endogenous inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase from maize roots. Plant Sci. Lett. 27, 7–20.
Marshall D R, Broue P and Pryor A J 1973 Adaptive significance of alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes in maize. Nature New Biol. 244, 16–23.
McMannon M and Crawford R M M 1971 A metabolic theory of flooding tolerance: The significance of enzyme distribution and behavior. New Phytol. 70, 299–306.
Roberts J L M, Callis J, Jardetzky O, Walbot V and Freeling M 1984 Cytoplasmic acidosis as determinant of flooding intoleance in plants. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81, 6029–6033.
Sachs M M, Freeling M and Okimoto R 1980 The anaerobic proteins in maize. Cell 20, 761–767.
Snedecor G W and Cochran W G 1974 Statistical Methods. Sixth edition, 7th printing. pp 258–298. The Iowa State Univ. Press., Ames, Iowa.
VanToai T T, Fausey N R and McDonald Jr M B 1985 Alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate decarboxylase activities in flood tolerant and susceptible corn seeds during flooding. Agron. J. 77, 753–757.
Wignarajah R and Greenway H 1976 Effects of anaerobiosis on activities of alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate decarboxylase in roots ofZea mays. New Phytol. 77, 575–584.
Wignarajah R, Greenway H and John C D 1976 Effects of waterlogging on growth and activity of alcohol dehydrogenase in barley and rice. New Phytol. 77, 585–589.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Contribution from the Soil Drainage Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Columbus, OH, in cooperation with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University. OARDC Journal Article No. 66–86.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vantoai, T.T., Fausey, N.R. & McDonald, M.B. Anaerobic metabolism enzymes as markers of flooding stress in maize seeds. Plant Soil 102, 33–39 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02370897
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02370897