Skip to main content

Effects of Short-Term Hypergravity Exposure are Reversible in Triticum aestivum L. Caryopses

Microgravity Science and Technology volume 29, pages 343–350 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Short-term hypergravity exposure is shown to retard seed germination, growth and photosynthesis in wheat caryopses. This study investigates the reversibility of effects of short-term hypergravity on imbibed wheat (Triticum aestivum var L.) caryopses. After hypergravity exposure (500 × g − 2500 × g for 10 min) on a centrifuge, exposed caryopses were kept under normal gravity (1 × g) up to six days and then sown on agar. Results of the present study showed that percentage germination and growth were completely restored for DAY 6 compared to DAY 0. Restoration of germination and growth was accompanied by increased α-amylase activity. The specific activity of antioxidative enzyme viz. catalase and guaiacol peroxidase was lowered on DAY 6 compared to DAY 0 suggesting an alleviation of oxidative cellular damage against hypergravity stress. Chlorophyll pigment recovery along with chlorophyll fluorescence (PI and Fv/Fm) on DAY 6 indicates a transient rather than permanent damage of the photosynthetic apparatus. Thus, our findings demonstrate that short-term hypergravity effects are reversible in wheat caryopses. The metabolic cause of restoration of seed germination and growth upon transferring the caryopses to normal gravity is performed by a reactivation of carbohydrate- metabolizing enzymes, α-amylase and alleviation of oxidative stress damage with subsequent recovery of chlorophyll biosynthesis and photosynthetic activity.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

References

  • Ahmad, P., Azooz, M.M., Prasad, M.N.V.: Ecophysiology and Response of Plants under Salt Stress. Springer, New York (2013)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Arnon, D. I.: Copper enzymes in isolated chloroplasts Polyphenoloxidase in Beta vulgaris. Plant Physiol. 24 (1), 1–15 (1949)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barjaktarovic, Z., Wolfgang, S., Johannes, M., Claudia, F., Alfred, N., Rudiger, H.: Changes in the effective gravitational field strength affect the state of phosphorylation of stress-related proteins in callus culture of Arabidopsis thaliana. J. Exp. Bot. 60(3), 779–789 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhaskaran, S., Jagtap, S.S., Vidyasagar, P.B.: Life and gravity. Biophys. Rev. Lett. 4(4), 299–318 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Björkman, O., Demming, B.: Photo yield of O2 evolution and chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics at 77 K among vascular plants of diverse origins. Planta. 170, 489–504 (1987)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford, M.M.: A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein dye binding. Anal. Biochem. 72, 248–254 (1976)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, R., Rosen, E.S., Masson, P.H.: Gravitropism in higher plants. Plant Physiol. 120, 343–350 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cramer, G.R., Urano, K., Delrot, S., Pezzotti, M., Shinozaki, K.: Effects of abiotic stress on plants: a systems biology perspective. BMC Plant Biol. 11(163), 1–14 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dan, T.V., KrishnaRaj, S., Saxena, P.K.: Metal tolerance of scented geranium (Pelargonium sp. ‘Frensham’): effects of cadmium and nickel on chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics. Int. J. Phytoremediat. 2, 91–104 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoson, T., Nishitani, K., Miyamoto, K., Ueda, J., Kamisaka, S., Yamamoto, R., Masuda, Y.: Effects of hypergravity on growth and cell wall properties of cress Hypocotyls. J. Exp. Bot. 47(297), 513–517 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamble, S.M., Vidyasagar, P.B.: Effect of short interval high gravity (g) exposure on germination, growth and photosynthetic yield in Mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczeck). SRTMU’s Research Journal of Science 2(2), 01–12 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kozeko, L., Kordyum, E.: Effect of hypergravity on the level of heat shock protein HSP 70 and HSP 90 in pea seedling. Microgravity Sci. Technol. 21(1), 175–178 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenthaler, H.K.: In vivo chlorophyll fluorescence as a tool for stress detection in plants. In: Lichtenthaler, H. (ed.) Applications of Chlorophyll Fluorescence, pp 129–142. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands (1988)

  • Manzano, A.I., Herranz, R., van Loon, J.J.W.A., Medina, F.J.: A hypergravity environment induced by centrifugation alters plant cell proliferation and growth in an opposite way to microgravity. Microgravity Sci. Technol. 24, 373–381 (2012)

  • Nakabayashi, I., Karahara, I., Tamaoki, D., Masuda, K., Wakasugi, T., Yamada, K., Soga, K., Hoson, T., Kamisaka, S.: Hypergravity stimulus enhances primary xylem development and decreases mechanical properties of secondary cell walls in inflorescence stems of Arabidopsis thaliana. Ann. Bot. 97(6), 1083–1090 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porra, R.J., Thompson, W.A., Kriedmann, P.A.: Determination of accurate extinction coefficients and simultaneous equation for assaying chlorophylls a and b extracted with four different solvents: verification of the concentration of chlorophyll standards by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 975, 384–394 (1989)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sadasivam, S., Manickam, A.: Biochemical Methods, 3rd Edn. New Age International Publishers, New Delhi, India (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schulze, E.D., Küpper, M.: Short-term and Long Term effects of plant water deficits on stomatal response to humidity in Corylus avellana L. Planta 146(3), 319–326 (1979)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soga, K., Wakabayashi, K., Kamisaka, S., Hoson, T.: Growth restoration in Azuki Bean and Maize seedlings by removal of hypergravity stimuli. Adv. Space Res. 31(10), 2269–2274 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soga, K., Harada, K., Wakabayashi, K., Hoson, T., Kamisaka, S.: Increased molecular mass of hemicellulosic polysaccharides is involved in growth inhibition of maize coleoptiles and mesocotyls under hypergravity conditions. J. Plant Res. 112(1107), 273–278 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tuteja, N., Sopory, K. S.: Chemical signaling under abiotic stress environment in plants. Plant Signal Behav. 3(8), 525–536 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vidyasagar, P.B., Jagtap, S.S., Dixit, J., Kamble, S., Dhepe, A.: Effects of Short-term hypergravity exposure on germination, growth and photosynthesis of Triticum aestivum L. Microgravity Sci. Technol. 26(6), 375–384 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waldron, K.W., Brett, C.T.: Effects of extreme acceleration on the germination, growth and cell wall composition of pea epicotyls. J. Exp. Bot. 41(1), 71–77 (1990)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waraich, E.A., Ahmad, R., Halim, A., Aziz, T.: Alleviation of temperature stress by nutrient management in crop plants. J. Soil Sci. Plant. Nutr. 12(2), 221–224 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yan, K., Chen, P., Shao, H., Zhang, L., Xu, G.: Effects of short-term high temperature on photosynthesis and photosystem II performance in sorghum. J. Agron. Crop Sci. 197, 400–408 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The Authors would like to acknowledge Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) scheme GOI-A-597, Bangalore for their financial support. We are thankful to Department of Physics, S. P. Pune University and School of Basic Medical Sciences, S.P. Pune University for providing necessary facilities. Prof. Pandit B. Vidyasagar has proposed this idea of reversibility of short-term hypergravity exposure in wheat caryopses.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Basic Medical Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411007, MH, India

    Jyotsana P. Dixit

  2. Department of Physics, Haribhai V. Desai College, Pune, 411002, MH, India

    Sagar S. Jagtap

  3. Department of Botany, Dr D.Y Patil Arts, Commerce & Science College, Pimpri, Pune, 411018, MH, India

    Shailendra M. Kamble

  4. Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Nanded, 431 606, MH, India

    Pandit B. Vidyasagar

Authors
  1. Jyotsana P. Dixit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sagar S. Jagtap
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shailendra M. Kamble
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Pandit B. Vidyasagar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Sagar S. Jagtap or Pandit B. Vidyasagar.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dixit, J.P., Jagtap, S.S., Kamble, S.M. et al. Effects of Short-Term Hypergravity Exposure are Reversible in Triticum aestivum L. Caryopses. Microgravity Sci. Technol. 29, 343–350 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-017-9553-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-017-9553-x

Keywords

  • α-amylase
  • Antioxidative enzymes
  • Chlorophyll fluorescence
  • Reversibility
  • Short-term hypergravity
  • Wheat caryopsis