Abstract

We have investigated the effects of the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on the development of aerenchyma in the primary root of maize (Zea mays). Because plant hormones affected the longitudinal organization of the primary root, we need an indicator to direct the positions for comparison between control and hormone-treated roots. Therefore, the zones of the maize primary root were categorized as PR25, PR50 and PR75, where each value indicates the relative position between the root tip (PR0) and the base (PR100). Aerenchyma was not observed at PR25 and PR50 and rarely found at PR75 in the cortex of control roots. The aerenchymal area at PR75 increased in the presence of the ethylene precursor ACC or a natural auxin IAA. On the other hand, MeJA differentially acted on non-submerged and submerged roots. Exogenously applied MeJA suppressed the aerenchyma formation in non-submerged roots. When the primary root was submerged, aerenchymal area expanded prominently. The submergence-induced aerenchyma formation was amplified with MeJA. Lateral root primordia have been known to inhibit aerenchymal death of surrounding cells. All the three hormones stimulating aerenchyma formation as described above did not restore the inhibition caused by lateral root primordia, suggesting that the inhibitory step regulated by lateral root primordia can be located after hormonal signaling steps.

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