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Stem girdling influences concentrations of endogenous cytokinins and abscisic acid in relation to leaf senescence in cotton

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Abstract

Many studies have shown that root–shoot imbalance influences vegetative growth and development of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), but few have examined changes in leaf senescence and endogenous hormones due to stem girdling. The objective of this study was to determine the correlation between some endogenous phytohormones, particularly cytokinins and abscisic acid (ABA), and leaf senescence following stem girdling. Field-grown cotton plants were girdled on the main stem 5 days after squaring (DAS), while the non-girdled plants served as control. Plant biomass, seed cotton yield, main-stem leaf photosynthetic (Pn) rate, chlorophyll (Chl) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, as well as levels of cytokinins and ABA in main-stem leaves and xylem sap were determined after girdling or at harvest. Main-stem girdling decreased the dry root weight and root/shoot ratio from 5 to 70 days after girdling (DAG) and reduced seed cotton yield at harvest. Main-stem leaf Pn and Chl concentration in girdled plants were significantly lower than in control plants. Much higher levels of MDA were observed in main-stem leaves from 5 to 70 DAG, suggesting that stem girdling accelerated leaf senescence. Girdled plants contained less trans-zeatin and its riboside (t-Z + t-ZR), dihydrozeatin and its riboside (DHZ + DHZR), and isopentenyladenine and its riboside (iP + iPA), but more ABA than control plants in both main-stem leaves and xylem sap. These results suggested that main-stem girdling accelerated leaf senescence due to reduced levels of cytokinin and/or increased ABA. Cytokinin and ABA are involved in leaf senescence following main-stem girdling.

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Abbreviations

ABA:

Abscisic acid

Chl:

Chlorophyll

Pn:

Photosynthetic rate

DHZ + DHZR:

Dihydrozeatin and its riboside

iP + iPA:

Isopentenyladenine and its riboside

t-Z + t-ZR:

Trans-zeatin and its riboside

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

DAG:

Days after girdling

JA:

Jasmonic acid

MeJA:

Methyl jasmonate

DAS:

Days after squaring

PBS:

Phosphate-buffered saline

PGRs:

Plant growth regulators

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by the earmarked fund for Modern Agroindustry Technology Research System and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30971720). We thank Dr. A. Egrinya Eneji of the University of Calabar, Nigeria, for critical reading of the manuscript.

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  1. Cotton Research Center, Provincial Key Lab for Cotton Culture and Physiology, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, 250100, Shandong, China

    Jianlong Dai & Hezhong Dong

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  1. Jianlong Dai
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  2. Hezhong Dong
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Correspondence to Hezhong Dong.

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Communicated by K. Krupinska.

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Dai, J., Dong, H. Stem girdling influences concentrations of endogenous cytokinins and abscisic acid in relation to leaf senescence in cotton. Acta Physiol Plant 33, 1697–1705 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-010-0706-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-010-0706-4

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