Abstract
Allium wakegi plants exposed to long days (LD, 14 h-photoperiod) developed bulbs, which were dormant from the 30th to the 125th day of LD, but those grown under natural short days (SD) did not develop bulbs. The contents of abscisic acid (ABA) in both whole bulbs and buds of the bulbs increased in LD, reaching a maximum at the 60th day of LD and decreasing thereafter, but those in basal leaf sheaths (this part corresponds to a bulb after bulb development) and buds did not increase in SD. The ABA content was related to the depth of bulb dormancy. Application of 500 μM ABA to bulbs for 24 h significantly delayed sprouting, but that of 5 or 50 μM ABA had little or no effect. Application of 25 or 125 μM fluridone to the soil just before exposure to LD bleached new expanding leaves and reduced bulb size, but had no effect on the development of bulb scales that characterize bulb formation. The bulbs formed under such conditions sprouted earlier than those of control plants. The levels of endogenous ABA in bulbs, buds of the bulbs, leaf blades, and roots were reduced by fluridone application. These results indicate that ABA plays an important role in bulb dormancy of Allium wakegi.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abdel-Rahman M and Isenberg FMR (1974) The role of exogenous plant regulators in the dormancy of onion bulbs. J Agr Sci 82: 113–116
Arguello JA, Bottini R, Luna R, DE Bottini GA and Racca RW(1983) Dormancy in garlic (Allium sativum L.) cv. Rosado Paraguayo. Levels of growth substances in seed cloves under storage. Plant & Cell Physiol 24: 1559–1563
Cummins WR (1973) The metabolism of abscisic acid in relation to its reversible action on stomata in leaves of Hordeum vulgare L. Planta 114: 159–167
Fong F, Smith JD and Koehler DE (1983) Early events in maize seed development. Plant Physiol 73: 899–901
Karssen CM, Brinkhorst-van der Swan DLC, Breekland AE and Koorneef M (1983) Induction of dormancy during seed development by endogenous abscisic acid: studies on abscisic acid deficient genotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Planta 157: 158–165
Kvien CS, Schroeder J and Banks PA (1988) A field technique to study root growth in peanut. Agronomy Journal 80: 852–854
Kim K-S, Davelaar E and De Klerk G-J (1994) Abscisic acid controls dormancy development and bulb formation in lily plantlets regenerated in vitro. Physiol Plant 90: 59–64
King RW (1976) Abscisic acid in developing wheat grains and its relationship to grain growth and maturation. Planta 132: 43–51
Le Page-Degivry M-T and Garello G (1992) In situ abscisic acid synthesis. A requirement for induction of embryo dormancy in Helianthus annuus. Plant Physiol 98: 1386–1390
Mahotiere S, Herner RC and Dennis FG (1976) Effects of applied growth substances on growth of shoot apices excised from onions in rest. J Amer Soc Hort Sci 101: 211–213
Matsubara S and Kimura I (1991) Changes of ABA content during bulbing and dormancy and in vitro bulbing in onion plant. J Japan Soc Hort Sci 59: 757–762
Neil SJ, Horgan R and Parry AD (1986) The carotenoid and abscisic acid content of viviparous kernels and seedlings of Zea mays L. Planta 169: 87–96
Ogata K (1952) Studies on the storage of perishable agricultural products. On the storage of onions. (2) On the size and keeping quality of the onion and its metabolism during the storage period. J Japan Soc Hort Sci 21: 29–36 (in Japanese)
Okubo H, Adaniya S, Takahashi K and Fujieda K (1981) Studies on the bulb formation of Allium wakegi Araki. J Japan Soc Hort Sci 50: 37–43 (in Japanese with English summary)
Okubo H, Chijiwa M and Uemoto S (1988) Seasonal changes in leaf emergence from scale bulblets during scaling and endogenous plant hormone levels in Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum Thunb.). J Fac Agr Kyushu Univ 33: 9–15
Powell LE (1987) Hormonal aspects of bud and seed dormancy in temperate-zone woody plants. Hort Sci 22: 845–854
Quebedeaux B, Sweetser PB and Rowell JC (1976) Abscisic acid levels in soybean reproductive structures during development. Plant Physiol 58: 363–366
Ragolsky E and Thorpe TA (1989) Physiological effects of fluridone on shoot cultures of Brassica napus L. and Beta vulgaris L. J Plant Physiol 134: 613–618
Rudnicki RM and Norwak J (1976) Studies on the physiology of hyacinth bulbs (Hyacinthus orientalis L.). J Exp Bot 27: 303–313
Suttle JC and Hultstrand JF (1994) Role of endogenous abscisic acid in potato microtuber dormancy. Plant Physiol 105: 891–896
Takagi H (1979) Studies on bulb formation and dormancy of garlic plants. Bull Yamagata Univ Agr Sci 8: 507–599 (in Japanese with English summary)
Thomas TH (1969) The role of growth substances in the regulation of onion bulb dormancy. J Exp Bot 20: 124–137
Van Onckelen H, Caubergs R, Horemans S and De Greef JA (1980) Metabolism of abscisic acid in developing seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris L. and its correlation to germination and amylase activity. J Exp Bot 31: 913–920
Yamazaki H, Nishijima T and Koshioka M (1995) Changes in abscisic acid content and water status in bulbs of Allium wakegi Araki throughout the year. J Japan Soc Hort Sci 64: 589–598
Zeevaart JAD and Creelman RA (1988) Metabolism and physiology of abscisic acid. Ann Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 39: 439–473
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yamazaki, H., Nishijima, T., Yamato, Y. et al. Involvement of abscisic acid (ABA) in bulb dormancy of Allium wakegi Araki I. Endogenous levels of ABA in relation to bulb dormancy and effects of exogenous ABA and fluridone. Plant Growth Regulation 29, 189–194 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006212427997
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006212427997