ABA action on the production and redistribution of field-grown maize carbohydrates in semiarid regions

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze the response of exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) application in plants grown under field conditions in semiarid zones in order to increase maize production. For this, it is necessary to understand the factors, such as the size and capacity of transport system involved in the mobilization and distribution of assimilates. The vascular transport capacity of ABA-treated and control plants was compared in terms of number of vascular bundles, phloem area per bundle, and the proportion of phloem in the ear peduncle of female inflorescences. This study showed that the application of exogenous ABA in field-grown maize under moderate drought allows a greater amount of maize production, an increase in the level of photosynthetic pigments, the carbohydrates remobilization to grain, and the capacity of this transport by an increase in the number of vascular bundles and the phloem area in peduncle. Evidence obtained in this study suggests that ABA could help improve agricultural production in rain-fed crops in which irrigation is not possible. This will allow us to follow a new technological strategy to increase the effective filling of organs during crops in unfavorable water conditions.

Abscisic acid and the key enzymes and genes in sucrose-to-starch conversion in rice spikelets in response to soil drying during grain filling

“…2b, 8a). Such observations are consistent with the previous reports on barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) (Kiseleva et al 1998), wheat (Bai et al 1989;Xie et al 2003;Yang et al 2003;Liu et al 2013), maize (Travaglia et al 2012;Xu et al 2013), rice (Bai et al 1989;Kato et al 1993;Yang et al 2001Yang et al , 2006bZhang et al 2009Zhang et al , 2014 and soybean Table 1 Correlations of abscisic acid (ABA) contents with grain filling rate and the activities and gene expression levels of the enzymes involved in sucrose-to-starch conversion in rice spikelets during the active grain filling period Data are from Figs. 2b,8a.…”

Effect of Removing Superior Spikelets on Grain Filling of Inferior Spikelets in Rice

“…SS removing treatment significantly increased grain filling rate, grain weight and ABA content of IS. Correlation analysis showed that ABA content is positively associated with grain filling rate ( Kato et al, 1993 ; Yang et al, 2006 ; Zhang et al, 2009 ), and such observations are consistent with those of previous reports involving wheat ( Xie et al, 2003 ) and maize ( Travaglia et al, 2012 ; Xu Y. et al, 2013 ). It is possible that insufficient ABA may be lead to the poor grain filling of IS.…”

ABA and GA3 increase carbon allocation in different organs of grapevine plants by inducing accumulation of non‐structural carbohydrates in leaves, enhancement of phloem area and expression of sugar transporters

“…Assuming a correlation between the phloem area and the number of sieve tubes (Canny 1973), the upregulation of those genes in addition to a major phloem area at berry pedicels, leaf midrib and stems may lead to a major flux of assimilates and in consequence an advance of ripening, as it was observed after ABA application. The increment on phloem area in ABA-treated plants is supported by the results of Travaglia et al (2012) who found out in maize that phloem connections toward the growing ovaries were enhanced by ABA applications. Conversely, other researchers have found negative effects of ABA regarding vascular development.…”

“…Experiments with ABA show contrasting results. Inhibition of cambium growth through a hypothetical negative interaction with IAA has been suggested (Dumbroff et al , Little and Wareing ), whereas ABA sprayed on maize plants increased phloem and xylem areas in female inflorescences thus enhancing transport of water, nutrients and photoassimilates to grains (Travaglia et al ).…”