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Maternal synthesis of abscisic acid controls seed development and yield in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia

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Abstract

The role of maternally derived abscisic acid (ABA) during seed development has been studied using ABA-deficient mutants of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viviani. ABA deficiency induced seed abortion, resulting in reduced seed yield, and delayed growth of the remaining embryos. Mutant grafting onto wild-type stocks and reciprocal crosses indicated that maternal ABA, synthesized in maternal vegetative tissues and translocated to the seed, promoted early seed development and growth. Moreover ABA deficiency delayed both seed coat pigmentation and capsule dehiscence. Mutant grafting did not restore these phenotypes, indicating that ABA synthesized in the seed coat and capsule envelope may have a positive effect on capsule and testa maturation. Together these results shed light on the positive role of maternal ABA during N. plumbaginifolia seed development.

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Fig. 1
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Abbreviations

ABA :

Abscisic acid

DAP :

Days after pollination

g :

Grafted

Wt :

Wild-type

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Acknowledgements

We thank Helen North and Isabelle Debeaujon for their critical reading of the manuscript. We also thank Krystyna Gofron and Michel Lebrusq for technical assistance with plant culture.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Biologie des Semences, UMR 204 INRA–INAPG, 78026, Versailles Cedex, France

    Anne Frey, Béatrice Godin & Annie Marion-Poll

  2. Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire des Plantes, UMR 7632 CNRS–Université Pierre et Marie Curie, tour 53 (E5 casier 156), 4 place Jussieu, 75252, Paris Cedex 05, France

    Magda Bonnet & Bruno Sotta

Authors
  1. Anne Frey
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  2. Béatrice Godin
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  3. Magda Bonnet
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  4. Bruno Sotta
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  5. Annie Marion-Poll
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Correspondence to Annie Marion-Poll.

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Frey, A., Godin, B., Bonnet, M. et al. Maternal synthesis of abscisic acid controls seed development and yield in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia . Planta 218, 958–964 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-003-1180-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-003-1180-7

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