Development of desiccation tolerance during embryogenesis in rice (Oryza sativa) in wild rice (Zizania palustris)

The ability of seeds to withstand desiccation develops during embryogenesis and differs considerably among species. Paddy rice (Oryza sativa L.) grains readily survive dehydration to as low as 2% water content, whereas North American wild rice (Zizania palustris var interior [Fasset] Dore) grains are not tolerant of water contents below 6% and are sensitive to drying and imbibition conditions. During embryogenesis, dehydrin proteins, abscisic acid (ABA), and saccharides are synthesized, and all have been implicated in the development of desiccation tolerance. We examined the accumulation patterns of dehydrin protein, ABA, and soluble saccharides (sucrose and oligosaccharides) of rice embryos and wild rice axes in relation to the development of desiccation tolerance during embryogenesis. Dehydrin protein was detected immunologically with an antibody raised against a conserved dehydrin amino acid sequence. Both rice and wild rice embryos accumulated a 21-kD dehydrin protein during development, and an immunologically related 38-kD protein accumulated similarly in rice. Dehydrin protein synthesis was detected before desiccation tolerance had developed in both rice embryos and wild rice axes. However, the major accumulation of dehydrin occurred after most seeds of both species had become desiccation tolerant. ABA accumulated in wild rice axes to about twice the amount present in rice embryos. There were no obvious relationships between ABA and the temporal expression patterns of dehydrin protein in either rice or wild rice. Wild rice axes accumulated about twice as much sucrose as rice embryos. Oligosaccharides were present at only about one-tenth of the maximum sucrose concentrations in both rice and wild rice. We conclude that the desiccation sensitivity displayed by wild rice grains is not due to an inability to synthesize dehydrin proteins, ABA, or soluble carbohydrates.