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Relations between carbohydrate accumulation in leaves, sucrose phosphate synthase activity and photoassimilate transport in chilling treated maize seedlings

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Abstract

Sucrose and starch concentration, sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity in leaves, and long distance transport were studied in maize seedlings treated with moderate chilling (14 °C/12 °C - day/night).

Two inbred lines were tested: chilling-tolerant KW1074 and chilling-sensitive CM109. Seedlings were grown in phytotrone on water nutrient until the 4-th leaf appearance. The estimations were done on fully developed 2-nd leaf.

Six days after the temperature was lowered, leaves of line KW 1074 plants contained 5-fold more sucrose and starch than the control ones. The same treatment of CM 109 seedlings resulted in accumulation of sucrose and starch by 2-fold and 8.5-fold, respectively.

As the result of chilling-treatment, 14C assimilation rate (Pa), transport speed in the leaf blade (TS1) and along the plant (TSm) decreased by about 50 % in both lines. On the other hand, time necessary for radiolabel movement into the phloem loading region (AT) increased strongly, especially in chilling-sensitive line CM 109. It was also noted, that the radioactivity exported from leaves (R1) and imported by roots (Rm) decreased in line CM 109, and increased slightly in line KW 1074.

The activity of SPS extracted from leaves of both lines decreased by about 3.3 when temperature was lowered form 30°C to 10°C. There was no effect of 6 day treatment of chilling on SPS activity.

Changes in sucrose and starch concentration, SPS activity as well as differences in transport parameters observed in KW1074 and CM109 seedlings at moderate low temperatures are discussed in terms of mechanism of maize chilling-sensitivity.

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Abbreviations

Pa :

14CO2 assimilation rate

AT:

time of radioactivity appearance in the loading region

Rl :

radioactivity of leaves near the feeding area

Rm :

radioactivity of mesocotyl

TSl :

speed of translocation in the leaf blade

TSm :

speed of translocation between leaf and mesocotyl

PCMBS:

p-chloromercuribenzen esulphonic acid

SPS:

sucrose phosphate synthase

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Biochemistry and Physiology, Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute, P.O.B. 1019, 00-950, Warsaw

    Paweł Sowiński, Agnieszka Dalbiak, Jolanta Tadeusiak & Piotr Ochodzki

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  1. Paweł Sowiński
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  2. Agnieszka Dalbiak
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  3. Jolanta Tadeusiak
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  4. Piotr Ochodzki
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Correspondence to Paweł Sowiński.

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Sowiński, P., Dalbiak, A., Tadeusiak, J. et al. Relations between carbohydrate accumulation in leaves, sucrose phosphate synthase activity and photoassimilate transport in chilling treated maize seedlings. Acta Physiol Plant 21, 375–381 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-999-0009-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-999-0009-9

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