Ethylene as promoter of wheat grain maturation and ear senescence

BELTRANO J; CARBONE A; MONTALDI ER; GUIAMET JJ

PLANT GROWTH REGULATION

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 1994 vol. 15 p. 107 - 112

0167-6903

This work was aimed at testing the involvement of ethylene in the maturation of grain and senescence of the foliar structures of the wheat inflorescence . Whole wheat ears emitted ethylene to the atmosphere . From pre-anthesis, ethylene emission progressively increased from 0.76 nl g -1 FW h-1 to a peak 1 .53 nl g -1FW h-1 at the hard dough stage of the grains, to fall to a minimum of 0 .10 nl g -1FW h-1 at the dormant seed stage . Ethephon increased the ethylene release, hastened the process of grain maturation and senescence of the ears. Aminoethoxyvinylglycine and silver thiosulfate produced the opposite effects . It is concluded that ethylene plays a role in grain maturation and in the senescence of the green bracts of the inflorescence .