Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of plant growth regulators on the antioxidant system in callus of two maize cultivars subjected to water stress

  • Published:
Plant Growth Regulation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effects of brassinolide, uniconazole and methyl jasmonate on several aspects of antioxidant defences, were studied in callus tissues of drought-resistant (PAN 6043) and drought-sensitive (SC 701) cultivars of maize. When regulator-treated calli were subjected to water stress with PEG for 24 h the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase and glutathione reductase, remained higher in callus of the drought-resistant than in callus of the drought-sensitive cultivar. Damage, as indicated by the levels of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde, the reduction of ascorbate and carotenoids, and leakage of electrolytes from cells was apparent in callus of both cultivars as a consequence of the applied water stress. However, the damage was less marked in the drought-resistant cultivar. The regulator-treated callus of this cultivar also had a higher survival percentage than that of the drought-sensitive cultivar.

The present results also compare the effects of growth regulators on antioxidant systems in callus tissue of different drought-resistant cultivars when exposed to paraquat and water stress.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ackerson RC (1983) Comparative physiology and water relations of two corn hybrids during water stress. Crop Sci 23: 278–283

    Google Scholar 

  2. Asada K and Takahashi M (1987) Production and scavenging of active oxygen. In: Kyle DJ, Osmond CB and Arntzen CJ (eds) Photosynthesis, pp 227–287. Amsterdam: Elsevier

    Google Scholar 

  3. Beauchamp C and Fridovich I (1971) Superoxide dismutase: improved assays and an assay applicable to acrylamide gels. Anal Biochem 444: 276–287

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bradford MM (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for the quantifation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal Biochem 72: 248–254

    Google Scholar 

  5. Burke JJ and Mahan JR (1991) Environmental regulation of cellular protection systems. In: Gausman HW (ed) Plant Biochemical Regulators, pp 47–58. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Chowdhury RS and Choudhuri MA (1985) Hydrogen peroxide metabolism as index of water stress tolerance in jute. Physiol Plant 65: 476–480

    Google Scholar 

  7. Del Longo OT, González CA, Pastori GM and Trippi VS (1993) Antioxidant defences under hyperoxygenic and hyperosmotic conditions in leaves of two lines of maize with differential sensitivities to drought. Plant Cell Physiol 34: 1023–1028

    Google Scholar 

  8. Dhindsa RS and Matowe W (1981) Drought tolerance in two mosses: correlated with enzyme defense against lipid peroxidation. J Exp Bot 32: 79–91

    Google Scholar 

  9. Dodge AD (1971) The mode of action of gipyridylium herbicides, paraquat and diquat. Endeavour 30: 130–135

    Google Scholar 

  10. Evans LV (1988) The effects of spectral composition and irradiance level on pigment levels in seaweeds. In: Lobban CS and Chapman DJ (eds) Experimental Phycology: A Laboratory Manual, pp 123–133. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

    Google Scholar 

  11. Foyer CH, Lelandais M, Edwards EA and Mullineaux PM (1991) The role of ascorbate in plants, interactions with photosynthesis, and regulatory significance. In: Pell E and Steffen K (eds) Active oxygen / oxidative stress and plant metabolism, pp 131–144. Am Soc Plant Physiol

  12. Foster JG and Hess JL (1982) Oxygen effects on maize leaf superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase. Phytochemistry 21: 1527–1532

    Google Scholar 

  13. Gamble P and Burke J (1984) Effect of water stress on the chloroplast antioxidant system. Plant Physiol 6: 605–612

    Google Scholar 

  14. Garg OK and Singh BP (1971) Physiological significance of ascorbic acid in relation to drought resistance in rice. Plant & Soil 43: 219–224

    Google Scholar 

  15. Gossett DR, Millhollon EP, Lucas MC, Banks SW and Marney MM (1994) The effects of NaC1 on antioxidant enzyme activities in callus tissues of salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive cotton cultivars. Plant Cell Rep 13: 498–503

    Google Scholar 

  16. Halliwell B (1982) The toxic effects of oxygen on plant tissues. In: Obergleg LL (ed) Superoxide Dismutase, pp 90–123. CRC Press: Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  17. Hamada K (1986) Brassinolide: some effects for crop cultivations. Conf Proc Int Seminar Plant Growth Regul, pp 15. Tokyo, Japan

  18. Hayakawa T, Kanematsu S and Asada K (1984) Occurrence of Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase in the intrathylakoid space of spinach chloroplasts. Plant Cell Physiol 25: 883–889

    Google Scholar 

  19. Hossain MA and Asada K(1984) Inactivation of ascorbate peroxidase in spinach chloroplasts on dark addition of hydrogen peroxide: its protection by ascorbate. Plant Cell Physiol 25: 1285–1295

    Google Scholar 

  20. Kraus TE and Austin-Fletcher R (1994) Paclobutrazol protects wheat seedlings from heat and paraquat injury. Is detoxification of active oxygen involved? Plant Cell Physiol 35: 45–51

    Google Scholar 

  21. Larson RA (1995) Defenses against oxidative stress. Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 29: 175–186

    Google Scholar 

  22. Lee FM and Liu YH (1996) Peroxidase activity in ethylene-, ABA-, or MeJA-treated rice roots. Bot Bull Acad Sin 37: 201–207

    Google Scholar 

  23. Li L and Van Staden J (1997) Effects of plant growth regulators on the antioxidant system in seedlings of two maize cultivars subjected to water stress. Plant Growth Regul (In Press)

  24. Malan C, Greyling MM and Gressel J (1990) Correlation between Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase, and xenobiotic stress tolerance in maize inbreds. Plant Sci 69: 157–166

    Google Scholar 

  25. Minotti G and Aust SD (1987) The requirement for ion (III) in the initiation of lipid peroxidation by iron (II) and hydrogen peroxide. J Biol Chem 262: 1098–1104

    Google Scholar 

  26. Mukherjee SP and Choudhuri MA(1983) Implications of water stress-induced changes in the leaves of endogenous ascorbic acid and hydrogen peroxide in Vigna seedlings. Physiol Plant 58: 166–170

    Google Scholar 

  27. Murashige T and Skoog F (1962) A revised medium for rapid growth and bioassays with tobacco tissue culture. Physiol Plant 15: 473–497

    Google Scholar 

  28. Nakano Y and Asada K (1981) Hydrogen peroxide scavenged by ascorbate-specific peroxidase in spinach chloroplasts. Plant Cell Physiol 22: 867–880

    Google Scholar 

  29. O'Regan BP, Cress WA and Van Staden J (1993) Root growth, water relations, abscisic acid and proline levels of drought-resistant and drought-sensitive maize cultivars in response to water stress. S Afr J Bot 59: 98–104

    Google Scholar 

  30. Pallett KE and Young AJ (1993) Carotenoids. In: Alscher RG and Hess JL (eds) Antioxidants in higher plants, pp 59–90. CRC Press: Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  31. Pan RC and Gu HQ (1995) Effect of methyl jasmonate on the growth and drought resistance in peanut seedlings. Acta Phyto Sin 21: 215–220

    Google Scholar 

  32. Parthier B, Bruckner C and Dathe W (1992) Jasmonates: Metabolism, biological activities, and modes of action in senescense and stress responses. In: Karssen CM, Van Loon LC and Vreugdenhil D (eds) Progress in Plant Growth Regulation, pp 276–285. Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  33. Pastori GM and Trippi VS (1992) Oxidative stress induces higher rate of glutathione reductase synthesis in a drought-resistant maize strain. Plant Cell Physiol 33: 957–961

    Google Scholar 

  34. Popham PL and Novacky A (1991) Use of dimethyl sulfoxide to detect hydroxyl radicals during bacteria-induced hypersensitive reaction. Plant Physiol 96: 1157–1160

    Google Scholar 

  35. Schaedle M and Bassman JA (1977) Chloroplast glutathione reductase. Plant Physiol 59: 1011–1012

    Google Scholar 

  36. Shaaltiel Y, Glazer A, Bocion PF and Gressel J (1988) Cross tolerance to herbicidal and environmental oxidants of plant biotypes tolerant to paraquat, sulfur dioxide and ozone. Pestic Biochem Physiol 31: 13–23

    Google Scholar 

  37. Sobrado MA (1990) Drought responses of tropical corn 1. Leaf area and yield components in the field. Maydica 35: 221–226

    Google Scholar 

  38. Spychalla JP and Desborough SL (1990) Superoxide dismutase, catalase and alpha-tocopherol of stored potato tubers. Plant Physiol 94: 1214–1218

    Google Scholar 

  39. Thakur PS and Rai VK (1981) Growth characteristics and proline content in relation to water status in two Zea mays L. Cultivars during rehydration. Biol Plant 23: 98–103

    Google Scholar 

  40. Trippi VS, Gidrol X and Pradet A (1989) Effects of oxidative stress by oxygen and hydrogen peroxide on energy metabolism and senescence in oat leaves. Plant Cell Physiol 30: 210–217

    Google Scholar 

  41. Upadhyaya A, Davis TD, Walser RH, Galbraith AB and Sankhla N (1989) Uniconazole-induced alleviation of low temperature damage in relation to antioxidation activity. HortScience 24: 955–957

    Google Scholar 

  42. Wise RR and Naylor AW(1987) Chilling-enhanced photo-oxidation: Evidence for the role of singlet oxygen and endogenous antioxidants. Plant Physiol 83: 278–282

    Google Scholar 

  43. Yokota T and Takahashi N (1986) Chemistry, physiology and agricultural application of brassinolide and related steroids. In: Bopp M (ed) Plant Growth Substances, pp 129–138 Heidelberg, Berlin: Springer-Verlag

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Natal University Research Unit for Plant Growth and Development, Department of Botany, University of Natal Pietermaritzburg, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa

    L. Li & J. van Staden

Authors
  1. L. Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. van Staden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Li, L., van Staden, J. Effects of plant growth regulators on the antioxidant system in callus of two maize cultivars subjected to water stress. Plant Growth Regulation 24, 55–66 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005954532397

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005954532397

Search

Navigation