Skip to main content
Plant Physiology logoLink to Plant Physiology
. 1997 Jan;113(1):149–154. doi: 10.1104/pp.113.1.149

Hormonal Regulation of Dormancy in Developing Sorghum Seeds.

H S Steinbach 1, R L Benech-Arnold 1, R A Sanchez 1
PMCID: PMC158125  PMID: 12223597

Abstract

The role of abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid (GA) in determining the dormancy level of developing sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench.) seeds from varieties presenting contrasting preharvest sprouting behavior (Redland B2, susceptible; IS 9530, resistant) was investigated. Panicles from both varieties were sprayed soon after pollination with fluridone or paclobutrazol to inhibit ABA and GA synthesis, respectively. Fluridone application to the panicles increased germinability of Redland B2 immature caryopses, whereas early treatment with paclobutrazol completely inhibited germination of this variety during most of the developmental period. Incubating caryopses in the presence of 100 [mu]M GA4+7 overcame the inhibitory effect of paclobutrazol, but also stimulated germination of seeds from other treatments. IS 9530 caryopses presented germination indices close to zero until physiological maturity (44 d after pollination) in control and paclobutrazol-treated particles. However, fluridone-treated caryopses were released from dormancy earlier than control and paclobutrazol-treated caryopses. Incubation in the presence of GA4+7 stimulated germination of caryopses from all treatments. Our results support the proposition that a low dormancy level (which is related to a high preharvest sprouting susceptibility) is determined not only by a low embryonic sensitivity to ABA, but also by a high GA content or sensitivity.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (553.6 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Groot S. P., Karssen C. M. Dormancy and Germination of Abscisic Acid-Deficient Tomato Seeds : Studies with the sitiens Mutant. Plant Physiol. 1992 Jul;99(3):952–958. doi: 10.1104/pp.99.3.952. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Le Page-Degivry M. T., Garello G. In Situ Abscisic Acid Synthesis : A Requirement for Induction of Embryo Dormancy in Helianthus annuus. Plant Physiol. 1992 Apr;98(4):1386–1390. doi: 10.1104/pp.98.4.1386. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Nasi A., Altman Canestri E., Sanchez C., Barcelo R., Ullia J. Les thromboses variqueuses, leur traitement ambulatoire. Phlebologie. 1993 Oct-Dec;46(4):711–717. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Triplett B. A., Quatrano R. S. Timing, localization, and control of wheat germ agglutinin synthesis in developing wheat embryos. Dev Biol. 1982 Jun;91(2):491–496. doi: 10.1016/0012-1606(82)90057-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Walker-Simmons M. ABA Levels and Sensitivity in Developing Wheat Embryos of Sprouting Resistant and Susceptible Cultivars. Plant Physiol. 1987 May;84(1):61–66. doi: 10.1104/pp.84.1.61. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Plant Physiology are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

RESOURCES