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Plant Growth Regul (2015) 76:8398 DOI 10.1007/s10725-015-0037-y
ORIGINAL PAPER
Aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) ameliorates waterlogging-induced damage in cotton by inhibiting ethylene synthesis and sustaining photosynthetic capacity
Ullah Najeeb Brian J. Atwell Michael P. Bange
Daniel K. Y. Tan
Received: 1 September 2014 / Accepted: 7 February 2015 / Published online: 15 February 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015
Abstract In this glasshouse study, we investigated the mechanisms of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG)-induced waterlogging tolerance in cotton. Two cotton cultivars Sicot 71BRF (moderately waterlogging tolerant) and LA 887 (waterlogging sensitive) were grown in a clay-loam soil, and exposed to waterlogging at early squaring stage (53 days after sowing). One day prior to waterlogging, shoots were sprayed with AVG (ReTain, 830 ppm). Continuous waterlogging for 2 weeks accelerated the shedding of leaves and fruits. As the duration of water-logging increased, shoot growth rate, biomass accumulation, photosynthesis (Pn) and stomatal conductance (gs)
were all reduced. Growth of LA 887 was more severely impaired than Sicot 71BRF, with a decline in leaf Pn and gs after just 4 h of waterlogging. Waterlogging inhibited allocation of nitrogen (N) to the youngest fully expanded leaves, photosynthesis and biomass accumulation, while it accelerated ethylene production promoting leaf and fruit abscission. AVG blocked ethylene accumulation in leaves and subsequently improved leaf growth, N acquisition and photosynthetic parameters. In addition, AVG enhanced fruit production of both cotton cultivars under waterlogged and non-waterlogged conditions. Higher ethylene
production in cotton is linked with fruit abscission, implying that AVG-induced ethylene inhibition could potentially limit yield losses in waterlogged cotton.
Keywords Ethylene Fruit shedding Leaf wilting
Nutrient acquisition Photosynthesis Waterlogging
AbbreviationsACC 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid AVG AminoethoxyvinylglycineDAS Days after sowingDAW Day of waterloggingFID Flame ionisation detectorgs Stomatal conductance
LAR Leaf area ratioLWC Leaf water contentNarea Nitrogen concentration per unit leaf area
NWL Non-waterloggedPAM Pulse-amplitude modulatedPAR Photosynthetically active radiation Pn Rate of photosynthesis
Post-WL Post waterloggingSLA Specic leaf areaTDM Total plant dry biomass WL Waterlogged
Introduction
Excessive water content in soil (waterlogging) is a major constraint to crop production in many irrigated parts of the world including Pakistan, India and China (Crosson and Anderson 1992). In Australia, waterlogging-induced annual
U. Najeeb (&) B. J. Atwell M. P. Bange D. K. Y. Tan
Department of Plant and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The...