Summary
The carbohydrate status of developing seeds of Picea abies was examined in order to provide a frame of reference for the evaluation of changes in carbohydrate content in maturing somatic embryos of the same species. Samples were taken at weekly intervals from 12 May 1998 (estimated time of pollination) until 20 October 1998. The total non-structural carbohydrate content was high (≈150–180 μg mg−1 dry weight) at the time of the first samples and the carbohydrate spectrum consisted of sucrose, glucose, fructose, and pinitol. A dramatic decrease in carbohydrate content took place from June 6 onwards, that was accompanied by changes in carbohydrate partitioning to favor sucrose over hexoses and the disappearance of pinitol. Raffinose and stachyose were first detected on July 28, and their content gradually increased thereafter. Isolated embryos and remaining megagametophytes were analyzed starting with September 1. Carbohydrate content was higher in isolated zygotic embryo than in the rest of the seed, with a slowly increasing fraction of raffinose and stachyose. Comparisons of presented data with the results of our previous study of somatic embryo carbohydrate status (Lipavská et al., 2000) revealed the following common features: (1) a decrease in total carbohydrate content and (2) an increase in sucrose:hexose ratios in developing seeds and embryonal suspensor mass. Marked differences were observed in carbohydrate spectra: (1) somatic embryo development was not accompanied by pinitol accumulation in any phase; (2) mature zygotic embryos, in contrast to mature somatic embryos, contained raffinose and stachyose. These observations will provide a solid basis for improvement of protocols for somatic embryogenesis in Picea.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Attree, S. M.; Pomeroy, M. K.; Fowke, L. C. Manipulation of conditions for the culture of somatic embryos of white spruce for improved triacylglycerol biosynthesis and desiccation tolerance. Planta 187:395–404; 1992.
Bachmann, M.; Inan, C.; Keller, F. Raffinose oligosaccharide storage carbon partitioning and source-sink interaction in plants. In: Madore, M.; Lucas, W. J., eds. Carbon partitioning and source-sink interactions in plants. Rockville, USA: American Society of Plant Physiologists; 1995; 215–225.
Bernal-Lugo, I.; Leopold, A. C. Seed stability during storage: raffinose content and seed glassy state. Seed Sci. Res. 5:75–80; 1995.
Black, M.; Corbineau, F.; Gee, H.; Come, D. Water content, raffinose, and dehydrins in the induction of desiccation tolerance in immature wheat embryos. Plant Physiol. 120:463–471; 1999.
Bruni, E.; Leopold, A. C. Pools of water in anhydrobiotic organisms: a thermally stimulated depolarisation current study. Biophys. J. 63:663–672; 1992.
Flinn, B. S.; Roberts, D. R.; Newton, C. H.; Cyr, D. R.; Webster, F. B.; Taylor, I. E. P. Storage protein gene exprcssion in zygotic and somatic embryos of interior spruce. Physiol. Plant. 89:719–730; 1993.
Grases, F.; Costa-Bauzá, A.; Carcía-Raso, A.; March, J. G. Kinetic-turbidimetric determination of stachyose based on its inhibitory action on sucrose crystallization. Anal. Lett. 27:819–829; 1994.
Grob, J. A.; Carlson, W. C.; Goodwin, J. B.; Salatas, K. M. Dimensional model of zygotic douglas-fir embryo development. Int. J. Plant Sci. 160:653–662; 1999.
Hinesley, L. E.; Pharr, D. M.; Snelling, L. K.; Funderburk, S. R. Foliar raffinose and sucrose in four conifer species: relationship to seasonal temperature. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 117:852–855; 1992.
Hoekstra, F. A.; Golovina, E. A. Membrane behavior during dehydratation: implication for dessication tolerance. Russ. J. Plant. Physiol. 46:295–306; 1999.
Horbowicz, M.; Obendorf, R. L.; McKersie, B. D.; Viands, D. R. Soluble carbohydrates and cyclitols in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) somatic embryos, leaflets, and mature seeds. Plant Sci. 109:191–198; 1995.
Ichimura, K.; Kohata, K.; Koketsu, M.; Shimamura, M.; Ito, A. Identification of pinitol as a main sugar constituent and changes in its content during flower bud development in carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.). J. Plant Physiol. 152:363–367; 1998.
Keller, F.; Ludlow, M. M. Carbohydrate metabolism in drought-stressed leaves of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan). J. Exp. Bot. 44:1351–1359; 1993.
Koster, K. L. Glass formation and desiccation tolerance in seeds. Plant Physiol. 96:302–304; 1991.
Kuo, T. M.; Lowell, C. A.; Nelsen, T. C. Occurrence of pinitol in developing soybean seed tissues. Phytochemistry 45:29–35; 1997.
Leifert, C.; Murphy, K. P.; Lumsden, P. J. Mineral and carbohydrate nutrition of plant cell and tissue cultures. Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 14:83–109; 1995.
Lipavská, H.; Svobodová, H.; Albrechtová, J.; Kumstýřová, L.; Vágner, M.; Vondráková, Z. Carbohydrate status during somatic embryo maturation in Norway spruce. In Vitro Cell. Dev. Biol. Plant 36:260–267; 2000.
Lipavská, H.; Vreugdenhil, D. Uptake of mannitol from the media by in vitro grown plants. Plant Cell Tiss. Organ Cult. 45:103–107; 1996.
Lux, D.; Leonardi, S.; Muller, J.; Wiemken, A.; Fluckiger, W. Effects of ambient ozone concentrations on contents of non-structural carbohydrates in young Picea abies and Fagus sylvatica. New Phytol. 137:399–409; 1997.
Misra, S.; Green, M. J. Developmental gene expression in conifer embryogenesis and germination. I. Seed proteins and protein body composition of mature embryo and the megagametophyte of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss). Plant Sci. 68:163–173; 1990.
Obendorf, R. L. Oligosacoharides and galactosyl cyclitols in seed desiccation tolerance. Seed Sci. Res. 7:63–74; 1997.
Obendorf, R. L.; Moon, H.; Hildebrand, D. F.; Torisky, R.; Collins, G. B. A comparison of pinitols in somatic and zygotic soybean embryos (Abstract). Mol. Cell. Biol. Soybean 6:40, 1996.
Owens, J. N.; Morris, S. J.; Misra, S. The ultrastructural, histochemical, and biochemical development of the post-fertilization megagametophyte and the zygotic embryo of Pseudotsuga menziesii. Can. J. For. Res. 23:816–827; 1993.
Pareddy, D. R.; Greyson, R. I. Studies on sucrose requirements of cultured maize tassels. Can. J. Bot. 67:225–229; 1989.
Poláčková, D.; Beneš, K. The staining of chromosomes and nuclei in squashes of root tip with Aluminium lake of nuclear fast red. Biol. Plant. 17:374–375; 1975.
Sauter, J. J.; van Cleeve, B. Biochemical and ultrastructural results during starch-sugar conversion in ray parenchyma cells of Populus during cold adaptation. J. Plant Physiol. 139:19–26; 1991.
Sheen, J.; Zhou, L.; Jang, J-CH. Sugars as signaling molecules. Curr. Opinjon Plant Biol. 2:410–418; 1999.
Spurr, A. R. Histogenesis and organisation of the embryo in Pinus strobus L. Am. J. Bot. 36:549–628; 1949.
Svobodová, H.; Albrechtová, J.; Kumstýřová, L.; Lipavská, H.; Vágner, M.; Vondráková, Z. Somatic embryogenesis in Norway spruce: anatomical study of embryo development and influence of polyethylene glycol on maturation process. Plant Physiol. Biochem. 37:209–221; 1999.
Tremblay, L.; Tremblay, F. M. Carbohydrate requirements for the development of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) and red spruce (P. rubens Sarg.) somatic embryos. Plant Cell Tiss. Organ Cult. 27:95–103; 1991.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gösslová, M., Svobodová, H., Lipavská, H. et al. Comparing carbohydrate status during norway spruce seed development and somatic embryo formation. In Vitro Cell.Dev.Biol.-Plant 37, 24–28 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11627-001-0005-2
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11627-001-0005-2