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Effects of exogenous abscisic acid and gibberellic acid on pre-maturity α-amylase formation in wheat grains

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Abstract

Effects of in situ and in vitro applied abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid (GA3) on pre-maturity α-amylase (PMA) were investigated in glasshouse experiments under cool-temperature shock-induced and non-induced conditions using UK winter wheat varieties, Spark (low PMA susceptible) and Rialto (high PMA susceptible). In the in situ study, hormone solutions (ABA [100 μM], GA3 [50 μM] and ABA + GA3 [100 + 50 μM]) were applied during mid-grain development to intact, developing grains of induced and non-induced plants. Alpha-amylase activity was measured in embryoless half-grains at maturity by a modified Phadebas assay. In the in situ study under non-induced conditions, applied ABA had no significant effect on α-amylase in either variety whereas applied GA3 significantly increased α-amylase in Rialto, but not in Spark. In the in situ study under induced conditions, applied ABA and GA3 produced no significant effect on α-amylase in Spark; however in Rialto, applied ABA produced a small but significant decrease in α-amylase whereas GA3 significantly increased α-amylase under induced conditions. In the in vitro study, spikes were harvested from induced/non-induced plants at 44/40 days after anthesis. Embryoless half-grains were incubated in hormone solutions at 25 °C and α-amylase activity was measured. Results similar to the in situ study were observed in the in vitro study for both varieties and conditions, except GA3 treatment which significantly increased α-amylase under non-induced conditions in Spark. From these exogenous hormone studies, it appears that GA-response is a major factor during PMA induction by a cool-temperature shock whereas ABA-response seems to be of less importance.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to all the staff in the Crop and Environment Research Centre and Princess Margaret Laboratories for their kind support and help throughout the work. This work was funded by Harper Adams University College and Home-Grown Cereals Authority.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Crop and Environment Sciences, Harper Adams University College, Newport, TF10 8NB, UK

    K. R. Kondhare, P. S. Kettlewell & J. M. Monaghan

  2. Department of Life Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad, West Indies

    A. D. Farrell

  3. Plant Science Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK

    P. Hedden

Authors
  1. K. R. Kondhare
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  2. P. S. Kettlewell
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  3. A. D. Farrell
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  4. P. Hedden
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  5. J. M. Monaghan
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Correspondence to P. S. Kettlewell.

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Kondhare, K.R., Kettlewell, P.S., Farrell, A.D. et al. Effects of exogenous abscisic acid and gibberellic acid on pre-maturity α-amylase formation in wheat grains. Euphytica 188, 51–60 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-012-0706-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-012-0706-0

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