Abstract
Large losses in yield can occur in maize ( Zea mays L.) growing in water‐limited conditions (low Ψ w ), particularly during flowering and early embryo growth where grain number is decreased. However, embryo growth is maintained where otherwise none would occur if the stems are infused with photosynthate (sucrose) and other nutrients (amino acids, salts, vitamins, and hormones) during exposure to low Ψ w . In the present investigation, we deleted or supplied various components of the complete infusion mediumto identify the active solute. Infusions involved making a cavity in a stem internode, filling the cavity with water, sealing the cavity, and connecting the interior of the cavity to an external reservoir of the medium. A field experiment at high Ψ w showed that wounds and enhanced nutrient supplies from the infusions did not alter embryo growth or yield. In controlled environment chambers, low Ψ w was imposed by withholding water for 6 d beginning 5 d prior to pollinations. A new infusion was made each day for 5 d as the low Ψ w developed around pollination. The low Ψ w virtually eliminated grain development. Sucrose infusion reversed this loss and no other component of the medium showed activity under our conditions. In plants receiving no sucrose at low Ψ w , ovary sucrose content was moderately lower and starch much lower than in controls. In plants receiving sucrose at low Ψ w , ovary sucrose content was higher than in controls and starch recovered moderately. The difference in sucrose and starch responses indicates that carbohydrate metabolism was altered in the ovaries at low Ψ w . Embryo survival correlated more closely with the content of starch than sucrose. We conclude that there were two effects of low Ψ w that contributed to arrested embryo growth: a decreased sucrose flux and an altered carbohydrate metabolism in the ovaries.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
Stem wounding and nutrient infusions did not alter embryo growth at high water potential.
- Treatment
- wounds and enhanced nutrient supplies from the infusionse0
- Outcome
- embryo growthe0
- Direction
- did not altere0
- Qualifier
- at high Ψ we1
Zea maysNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“wounds and enhanced nutrient supplies from the infusions did not alter embryo growth or yield”
e1“at high Ψ w”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Stem wounding and nutrient infusions did not alter yield at high water potential.
- Treatment
- wounds and enhanced nutrient supplies from the infusionse0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- did not altere0
- Qualifier
- at high Ψ we1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“wounds and enhanced nutrient supplies from the infusions did not alter embryo growth or yield”
e1“at high Ψ w”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Low water potential virtually eliminated grain development.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The low Ψ w virtually eliminated grain development”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Sucrose infusion reversed loss of grain development at low water potential.
- Treatment
- Sucrose infusione0
- Outcome
- grain developmente1
- Direction
- reversede0
- Comparator
- no other component of the mediume0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Sucrose infusion reversed this loss and no other component of the medium showed activity under our conditions”
e1“The low Ψ w virtually eliminated grain development”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
No other medium component showed activity under low water potential.
- Outcome
- no other component of the medium showed activitye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“no other component of the medium showed activity under our conditions”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Without sucrose at low water potential, ovary sucrose content was moderately lower than controls.
- Treatment
- no sucrose at low Ψ we0
- Outcome
- ovary sucrose contente0
- Direction
- moderately lowere0
- Comparator
- controlse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In plants receiving no sucrose at low Ψ w , ovary sucrose content was moderately lower and starch much lower than in controls”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Without sucrose at low water potential, ovary starch was much lower than controls.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In plants receiving no sucrose at low Ψ w , ovary sucrose content was moderately lower and starch much lower than in controls”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
With sucrose at low water potential, ovary sucrose content exceeded controls.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In plants receiving sucrose at low Ψ w , ovary sucrose content was higher than in controls and starch recovered moderately”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
With sucrose at low water potential, ovary starch recovered moderately.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In plants receiving sucrose at low Ψ w , ovary sucrose content was higher than in controls and starch recovered moderately”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Embryo survival correlated more closely with starch than sucrose content.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Embryo survival correlated more closely with the content of starch than sucrose”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors inferred that reduced sucrose flux contributes to arrested embryo growth at low water potential.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a decreased sucrose flux and an altered carbohydrate metabolism in the ovaries”
e1“contributed to arrested embryo growth”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors inferred that altered ovary carbohydrate metabolism contributes to arrested embryo growth.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a decreased sucrose flux and an altered carbohydrate metabolism in the ovaries”
e1“contributed to arrested embryo growth”
t0“Maize”
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See all 6 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.