Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of high temperature on the germination of maize (Zea mays L.)

  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Poor emergence of maize seedlings, due to high soil temperatures, is a major limitation of crop potential in the lowland tropics. Ability to germinate at high temperature (>c. 37° C) is related to the temperature sensitivity of the embryo, and there is considerable genotypic variation for this character.

Respiration and mitochondrial phosphorylation proceed normally in seeds imbibing at 41° C, and ATP levels are adequate for germination. However, the specific activities of several important enzymes are lower, and the rate of protein synthesis is severely reduced compared with seeds imbibing at 28° C. The depression of the rate of protein synthesis in the embryos of several tropical hybrids imbibing at high temperature correlated with their known temperature sensitivity. It is concluded that protein synthesis is an especially temperature sensitive process in germinating maize embryos, and that this is the principal reason for the sensitivity of germinating maize seeds to high temperature.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ADP:

adenosine-5′-diphosphate

ATP:

adenosine-5′-triphosphate

BSA:

bovine serum albumin

EDTA:

ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid

HEPES:

N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazinc-N′-2-ethanesulphonic acid

NADH:

nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide, reduced form

PPO:

2, 5-diphenyloxazole

PVP:

polyvinylpyrrolidone

SEM:

standard error of the mean

tris:

tris (hydroxymethyl)-methylamine

References

  • Ballaux, J.C. (1975) Temperature and seedling emergence. In: Proceedings of physiology program formulation workshop, pp. 91–94, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, P.A., Chrispeels, M.J. (1972) De novo synthesis of ribonuclease and β-1, 3-glucanase by aleurone cells of barley. Plant Physiol. 49, 445–447

    Google Scholar 

  • Bewley, J.D., Black, M. (1978) Physiology and biochemistry of seeds, vol. 1. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Bose, B., Srivastava, H.S. (1979) Protein hydrolysis and transfer of nitrogen from endosperm to the embryo during germination of maize seedlings at various temperatures. Plant Physiol. 63, Suppl. p. 49

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckle, J.A., Grant, P.M. (1974) Effects of soil temperature on plumulc growth and seedling emergence of maize (Zea mays L.). Rhodesian J. Agric. Res. 12, 149–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Cantrell, R.P., Hodges, H.F., Keim, W.F. (1972) Relationship between plant respiration and seedling vigour in Zea mays L. Crop. Sci. 12, 214–216

    Google Scholar 

  • Ching, T.M. (1973) Adenosine triphosphate content and seed vigor. Plant Physiol. 51, 400–402

    Google Scholar 

  • Ching, T.M. (1975) Temperature regulation of germination in crimson clover seeds. Plant Physiol. 56, 768–771

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, M.A., Obendorf, R.L. (1976) Independence of imbibitional chilling injury and energy metabolism in corn. Crop Sci. 16, 449–452

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins, D.M., Wilson, A.T. (1975) Embryo and endosperm metabolism of barley seeds during early germination. J. Exp. Bot. 26, 737–740

    Google Scholar 

  • Dure, L.S. (1960) Gross nutritional contributions of maize endosperm and scutellum to germination growth of maize axis. Plant Physiol. 36, 919–925

    Google Scholar 

  • Eastwood, D., Tavener, R.J.A., Laidman, D.L. (1969) Induction of lipase and phytase activities in the aleurone tissue of germinating wheat grains. Biochem. J. 113, 32P

  • Estabrook, R.W. (1967) Mitochondrial respiratory control and the polarographic measurement of ADP: O ratios. In: Methods in enzymology, vol. 10, pp. 41–47, Colowick, S.P., Kaplan, N.O., eds, Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, J.B., Wilson, C.M., Chrispeels, M.J., Krueger, W.A., Swanson, H.R. (1965) Ribonuclease and other factors involved in the respiratory senescence of maize scutellum. J. Exp. Bot. 16, 282–293

    Google Scholar 

  • Hedley, C.L., Stoddart, J.L. (1971) Factors influencing alanine aminotransferase activity in leaves of Lolium temulentum L. I. Photoperiodically induced variations. J. Exp. Bot. 22, 239–248

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang, A.H.C., Moreau, R.A. (1978) Lipases in the storage tissues of peanut and other oil seeds during germination. Planta 141, 111–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingle, J., Hageman, R.H. (1965) Metabolic changes associated with the germination of corn. II. Nucleic acid metabolism. Plant Physiol. 40, 48–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurkova, E.B. (1967) The effect of elevated temperatures on the oxidative phosphorylation of the mitochondria of corn roots. Uch. Zap. Mosk. Obl. Pedagog. Inst. 169, 185–191. In: Biological Abstracts. Vol. 49, Abstract 123948 (1968)

  • Linko, P., Milner, M. (1959) Enzyme activation in wheat grains in relation to water content. Glutamic acid-alanine transaminase, and glutamic acid decarboxylase. Plant Physiol. 34, 392–396

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowry, O.H., Rosebrough, N.J., Farr, A.L., Randall, R.J. (1951) Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 193, 265–275

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mans, R.J., Novelli, G.D. (1961) Measurement of the incorporation of radioactive amino acids into protein by a filter-paper disk method. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 94, 48–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, A.M. (1977) Metabolic control of germination. In: The physiology and biochemistry of seed dormancy and germination, pp. 357–384, Khan, A.A., ed., New-Holland, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohmura, T., Howell, R.W. (1960) Inhibitory effect of water on oxygen consumption by plant materials. Plant Physiol. 35, 184–188

    Google Scholar 

  • Sabater, B., Martin, M. (1977) Inactive and active alanine 2-oxoglutarate amine transferase in maize embryo. Phytochemistry 16, 1871–1873

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarkissian, I.V., Srivastava, H.K. (1968) On methods of isolation of active, tightly coupled mitochondria of wheat seedlings. Plant Physiol. 43, 1406–1410

    Google Scholar 

  • Schroth, M.N., Weinhold, A.R., Hayman, D.S. (1966) The effect of temperature on quantitative differences in exudates from germinating seeds of bean, pea and cotton. Can. J. Bot. 44, 1429–1432

    Google Scholar 

  • Shannon, J.C., Hanson, J.B., Wilson, C.M. (1964) Ribonuclease levels in the mesocotyl tissue of Zea mays as a function of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid application. Plant Physiol. 39, 804–809

    Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava, A.K., Kooner, N.K. (1978) Effect of temperature on the physiology and biochemistry of germinating seeds of Phaseolus aureus Roxb. Acta Agron. Acad. Sci. Hung. 27, 450–455

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, P.E., Williams, S.G. (1969) Use of the liquid scintillation spectrometer for determining adenosine triphosphate by the luciferase enzyme. Anal. Biochem. 29, 381–392

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoddart, J.L., Thomas, H., Robertson, A. (1973) Protein synthesis patterns in barley embryos during germination. Planta 112, 309–321

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, H. (1975) Regulation of alanine aminotransferase in leaves of Lolium temulentum during senescence. Z. Pflanzenphysiol 74, 208–218

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, C.M. (1963) Chromatographic separation of ribonucleases in corn. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 68, 177–184

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, S.B., Bonner, W.D. (1971) Studies of electron transport in dry and imbibed peanut embryos. Plant Physiol. 48, 340–344

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Plas Gogerddan, SY23 3EB, Aberystwyth, Dyfed, U.K.

    Graham J. P. Riley

Authors
  1. Graham J. P. Riley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Riley, G.J.P. Effects of high temperature on the germination of maize (Zea mays L.). Planta 151, 68–74 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384239

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384239

Key words

Search

Navigation