biologia plantarum

Biologia plantarum 49:613-616, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-0058-x

Different responses of two contrasting wheat genotypes to abscisic acid application

X. Zhang¹, T. Wang¹, C. Li^1,*

¹ Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, P.R. China

Purpose of this study was to investigate different responses of two wheat genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) from the wet and dry climate regions to exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) application under well-watered and water-stressed conditions. Exogenous ABA was applied to the leaves by spraying and changes in dry matter accumulation and allocation, endogenous ABA content and carbon isotope ratio (δ¹³C) were monitored. The ABA application significantly decreased stem height, total biomass, total leaf area, total grain mass and leaf area/mass ratio, and significantly increased root/aboveground biomass ratio, endogenous ABA content and δ¹³C under well-watered and water-stressed conditions. Compared with the wet climate genotype, the dry climate genotype was more responsive to exogenous ABA application, resulting in lower stem height, total biomass, total leaf area, total grain mass and leaf area/mass ratio, and higher root/aboveground biomass ratio, endogenous ABA content and δ¹³C under all experimental treatments.

Keywords: dry matter accumulation and allocation; stable carbon isotope ratio; Triticum aestivum; water use efficiency

Subjects: abscisic acid (ABA); carbon isotope discrimination (δ¹³C, Δ¹³C); cultivar and genotype differences, ABA; growth analysis, plant development, biomass and yield enhancement; salt stress, cultivars differing in sensitivity to salt stress; Triticum aestivum; water use efficiency; wheat, contrasting genotypes

Received: October 27, 2004; Accepted: June 6, 2005; Published: December 1, 2005  Show citation