Changes in Hormonal Status and Expression of Lectin Genes in Wheat Seedlings Treated with Stevioside and Exposed to Low Above-Zero Temperatures

Abstract

Effect of presowing treatment with stevioside (10–8 M) on activity, content, and expression of the wheat-germ agglutinin (WGA) gene, as well as the content of phytohormones, was studied in 4-day-old seedlings of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) exposed to low above-zero temperatures. Pretreatment with stevioside considerably increased the protective potential of plants in response to low-temperature stress. The obtained results point to an ABA-dependent effect of stevioside on WGA in spite of the gibberellin-like chemical structure of the examined growth regulator.