Injurious effects of water stress at booting stage on the female inflorescence of maize
1996
Song Fengbin (Jilin Agricultural Univ., Changchun (China). Dept. of Agronomy) | Dai Junying | Huang Guokun
The results showed that water stress at this stage could decrease the activity of superoxide dismutase and increase membrane lipid peroxidation in the gynoecium of maize, leading to direct injury on the biological membrane system and a sharp increment of electrolyte leakage in the tissue. Under electron microscope it could be seen that mitochondria and protoplasmic membrane were damaged, and plasmodesmata swelled, deformed or even ruptured. These ultrastructural changes would lead to disordered metabolism, increase soluble sugar and free amino acids, decrease starch and protein contents. As a result the development of the gynoecium was hindered, the number of kernels per ear reduced, and, finally, the kernel yield decreased.
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