Stimulation of ACC‐dependent ethylene production in citrus leaf discs by light

Abstract

The influence of light and darkness incubation on in vivo ethylene forming enzyme (EFE) activity in citrus (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck cv. Salustiana) mature leaf discs was studied. Leaf discs incubated in light produced higher amounts of ethylene than in darkness. Transfer of discs from light to the dark resulted in a marked inhibition of EFE activity, whereas transfer of discs from the dark to light enhanced ethylene forming activity considerably. Light did not affect 1‐aminocyclopropane‐l‐carboxylie acid (ACC) uptake. Incubation in a CO2‐eniiched atmosphere enhanced EFE activity both in light and in darkness, but light stimulation of EFE activity was apparently not affected by CO2. Effects of 3‐(3,4‐dichlorophenyl)‐1,1‐dimethylurea (DCMU, inhibitor of photosynthetic electron flow) and KCN (inhibitor of cytochrome oxidase) were studied. DCMU at 0.2 mM inhibited EFE activity in light, whereas no effect was detected in the dark. On the other hand 1 mM KCN stimulated EFE activity in the light, and no significant effect was observed in the dark. CoCl2 at 1 mM inhibited ACC‐dependent ethylene production, suggesting that ethylene production from ACC is mediated by EFE in citrus leaf discs both in light and in the dark. Cycloheximide also inhibited EFE activity in the light and no effects were detected in the dark. Therefore protein synthesis in light (perhaps EFE synthesis) could be required for the light stimulation of the in vivo EFE activity.