BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Global warming is gaining significance as a threat to natural and managed ecosystems since temperature is one of the major environmental factors affecting plant productivity. Hence, the effects of moderate temperature increase on the growth and development of the tomato plant (Lycopersicon esculentum) were investigated. METHODS: Plants were grown at 32/26 degrees C as a moderately elevated temperature stress (METS) treatment or at 28/22 degrees C (day/night temperatures) as a control with natural light conditions. Vegetative growth and reproductive development as well as sugar content and metabolism, proline content and translocation in the androecium were investigated. KEY RESULTS: METS did not cause a significant change in biomass, the number of flowers, or the number of pollen grains produced, but there was a significant decrease in the number of fruit set, pollen viability and the number of pollen grains released. Glucose and fructose contents in the androecium (i.e. all stamens from one flower) were generally higher in the control than METS, but sucrose was higher in METS. Coincidently, the mRNA transcript abundance of acid invertase in the androecium was decreased by METS. Proline contents in the androecium were almost the same in the control and METS, while the mRNA transcript level of proline transporter 1, which expresses specifically at the surface of microspores, was significantly decreased by METS. CONCLUSIONS: The research indicated that failure of tomato fruit set under a moderately increased temperature above optimal is due to the disruption of sugar metabolism and proline translocation during the narrow window of male reproductive development.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Global warming is gaining significance as a threat to natural and managed ecosystems since temperature is one of the major environmental factors affecting plant productivity. Hence, the effects of moderate temperature increase on the growth and development of the tomato plant (Lycopersicon esculentum) were investigated. METHODS: Plants were grown at 32/26 degrees C as a moderately elevated temperature stress (METS) treatment or at 28/22 degrees C (day/night temperatures) as a control with natural light conditions. Vegetative growth and reproductive development as well as sugar content and metabolism, proline content and translocation in the androecium were investigated. KEY RESULTS: METS did not cause a significant change in biomass, the number of flowers, or the number of pollen grains produced, but there was a significant decrease in the number of fruit set, pollen viability and the number of pollen grains released. Glucose and fructose contents in the androecium (i.e. all stamens from one flower) were generally higher in the control than METS, but sucrose was higher in METS. Coincidently, the mRNA transcript abundance of acid invertase in the androecium was decreased by METS. Proline contents in the androecium were almost the same in the control and METS, while the mRNA transcript level of proline transporter 1, which expresses specifically at the surface of microspores, was significantly decreased by METS. CONCLUSIONS: The research indicated that failure of tomato fruit set under a moderately increased temperature above optimal is due to the disruption of sugar metabolism and proline translocation during the narrow window of male reproductive development.
Authors: R Schwacke; S Grallath; K E Breitkreuz; E Stransky; H Stransky; W B Frommer; D Rentsch Journal: Plant Cell Date: 1999-03 Impact factor: 11.277
Authors: Daymi Camejo; Pedro Rodríguez; Ma Angeles Morales; José Miguel Dell'Amico; Arturo Torrecillas; Juan José Alarcón Journal: J Plant Physiol Date: 2005-03 Impact factor: 3.549
Authors: M G Aarts; R Hodge; K Kalantidis; D Florack; Z A Wilson; B J Mulligan; W J Stiekema; R Scott; A Pereira Journal: Plant J Date: 1997-09 Impact factor: 6.417
Authors: P E Taylor; J A Glover; M Lavithis; S Craig; M B Singh; R B Knox; E S Dennis; A M Chaudhury Journal: Planta Date: 1998-08 Impact factor: 4.116
Authors: Johanna A Bac-Molenaar; Emilie F Fradin; Frank F M Becker; Juriaan A Rienstra; J van der Schoot; Dick Vreugdenhil; Joost J B Keurentjes Journal: Plant Cell Date: 2015-07-10 Impact factor: 11.277