Summary
When seedlings of Phaseolus vulgaris L. vv. Canadian Wonder are chilled at 5°C (45% relative humidity) (RH), the primary leaves lose fresh weitht, produce ethylene at an increased rate when transferred to 25°C and leak electrolytes at an increased rate when placed in water.
Similar changes result from chilling excised leaves at 5°C 20% RH. However, chilling only leads to increased rates of electrolyte leakage in partially dehydrated leaves. Chilling alone or water deficits alone (up to 30% fresh weight loss) do not lead to increased leakage.
In contrast fresh weight loss alone does lead to an increased rate of ethylene production. Although a similar potential for increased ethylene production at 25°C initially results from partial dehydration in both chilled and non-chilled leaves, this potential is maintained for longer at 5°C than at 25°C.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- RH:
-
relative humidity
References
Adato, I., Gazit, S.: Water deficit stress, ethylene production and ripening in avocado fruits. Plant Physiol. 53, 45–46 (1974)
El-Beltagy, A. S., Hall, M. A.: Effect of water stress upon endogenous ethylene levels in Vicia faba. New Phytol. 73, 47–60 (1974)
Jackson, M. B., Osborne, D. J.: Ethylene, the natural regulator of leaf abscission. Nature (Lond.) 255, 1019–1022 (1970)
Lyons, J. M.: Chilling injury in Plants. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 24, 445–466 (1973)
McMichael, B. L., Jorden, W. R., Powell, R. D.: An effect of water stress on ethylene production by intact cotton petioles. Plant Physiol. 49, 658–660 (1972)
Schroeder, R. A.: The effect of root temperatures upon the absorption of water by the cucumber. Un. Missouri, Coll. Agr. Res. Bull. 309 (1939)
Sellschop, J. P. F., Salmon, S. C.: The influence of chilling above the freezing point on certain crop plants. J. Agr. Res. 37, 315–338 (1928)
Stadelmann, E. J.: Permeability of the plant cell. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 20, 585–606 (1969)
Stewart, J. McD., Guinn, A.: Chilling injury and changes in adenosine triphosphate of cotton seedlings. Plant Physiol. 44, 605–608 (1969)
Tagawa, T.: The influence of the temperature of the culture water on the water absorption by the root and on the stomatal aperture. J. Fac. Ag. Hokkaido Imp. Univ. Sapporo vol. 39, 271–296 (1937)
Wright, M., Simon, E. W.: Chilling injury in cumumber leaves. J. exp. Bot., vol. 24, 400–411 (1973)
Zholkevitch, V. N., Koller, V. A., Kushnirenko, S. V.: After effect of chilling on the respiration efficiency of cucumber leaves. Fiziol. Rast. 9, 353–358 (1962)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wright, M. The effect of chilling on ethylene production, membrane permeability and water loss of leaves of Phaseolus vulgaris . Planta 120, 63–69 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00388271
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00388271