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Oxygen-depleted zones inside reproductive structures of Brassicaceae: implications for oxygen control of seed developmentGrowth of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. in decreasing oxygen partial pressures revealed a linear decrease in seed production below 15 kPa, with a complete absence of seed production at 2.5 kPa oxygen. This control of plant reproduction by oxygen had previously been attributed to an oxygen effect on the partitioning between vegetative and reproductive growth. However, plants grown in a series of decreasing oxygen concentrations produced progressively smaller embryos that had stopped developing at progressively younger stages, suggesting instead that their growth is limited by oxygen. Internal oxygen concentrations of buds, pistils, and developing siliques of Brassica rapa L. and siliques of Arabidopsis were measured using a small-diameter glass electrode that was moved into the structures using a micromanipulator. Oxygen partial pressures were found to be lowest in the developing perianth (11.1 kPa) and pistils (15.2 kPa) of the unopened buds. Pollination reduced oxygen concentration inside the pistils by 3 kPa after just 24 h. Inside Brassica silique locules, partial pressures of oxygen averaged 12.2 kPa in darkness, and increased linearly with increasing light levels to 16.2 kPa. Measurements inside Arabidopsis siliques averaged 6.1 kPa in the dark and rose to 12.2 kPa with light. Hypoxia in these microenvironments is postulated to be the point of control of plant reproduction by oxygen.
Document ID
20040088939
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Porterfield, D. M.
(Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Baton Rouge 70803, United States)
Kuang, A.
Smith, P. J.
Crispi, M. L.
Musgrave, M. E.
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1999
Publication Information
Publication: Canadian journal of botany
Volume: 77
Issue: 10
ISSN: 0008-4026
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: P41-RR01395
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-3759
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Non-NASA Center
NASA Discipline Plant Biology

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