Abstract
Maize ( Zea mays L.) plants exposed to low water potentials (ψ w ) at anthesis frequently experience failure of reproduction despite high plant ψ w before and after anthesis. Since the supply of reserve carbohydrates in maize stems may be low at anthesis and low ψ w can inhibit photosynthesis, it is possible that a water deficit at anthesis causes a deficit of photosynthetic products or their derivatives, which could lead to premature cessation of reproductive development. To test this hypothesis, a high‐sucrose (150 g L −1 liquid tissue culture medium was supplied to the stems of dehydrating maize plants from an external reservoir using a new stem infusion technique. Plants were grown in controlled environment chambers in large pots containing soil. At midday, the rates of net photosynthesis of upper leaves of well‐watered plants were ≈20 μmol m −2 s −1 and the ψ w of these leaves was −0.6 MPa. Approximately 5 d after water was withheld from pots, upper leaf ψ w dropped to −1.6 to −1.8 MPa and photosynthetic rates of the same leaves were ≈20 μmol m −2 s −1 . Stem infusion of liquid tissue culture medium during 5‐ or 7.5‐d water‐deficit periods initiated 1 d after silking prevented reproductive failure without rehydrating the plant. Final grain yields of some of the medium‐infused plants approached control yields. Dehydrated plants which received infusion of a similar volume of water or which were not infused experienced nearly complete reproductive failure. Following rehydration, photosynthesis of all plants exposed to low ψ w during anthesis recovered, but only those infused with the medium during low ψ w continued kernel development to maturity. Additional experiments indicated that plant growth regulators were not required for an effective medium. These experiments identify assimilate supply and not low plant ψ w per se as a limiting factor in maize reproductive failure near anthesis and suggest that improvement in drought tolerance may be achieved by changes in the assimilate storage patterns and/or the phenology of maize plants. Additionally, this whole plant system provides an agriculturally relevant model system for studying the cellular and subcellular mechanisms associated with failure of reproductive growth at low ψ w .
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Claims 13
Claim · model-written summary
Well-watered maize leaves had photosynthesis near 20 μmol m −2 s −1 and water potential of −0.6 MPa.
- Outcome
- rates of net photosynthesis of upper leavese0
- Value
- ≈20 μmol m −2 s −1e0
- Qualifier
- well‐watered plantse0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“rates of net photosynthesis of upper leaves of well‐watered plants were ≈20 μmol m −2 s −1 and the ψ w of these leaves was −0.6 MPa”
Claim · model-written summary
After withholding water, upper leaf water potential fell to −1.6 to −1.8 MPa.
- Treatment
- water was withheld from potse0
- Outcome
- upper leaf ψ we0
- Direction
- droppede0
- Value
- −1.6 to −1.8 MPae0
Not reportedTaxonComparator
Verbatim
e0“Approximately 5 d after water was withheld from pots, upper leaf ψ w dropped to −1.6 to −1.8 MPa”
Claim · model-written summary
After withholding water, upper leaf photosynthesis remained near 20 μmol m −2 s −1.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“photosynthetic rates of the same leaves were ≈20 μmol m −2 s −1”
Claim · model-written summary
Stem infusion of culture medium prevented reproductive failure during water deficit.
- Treatment
- Stem infusion of liquid tissue culture mediume0
- Outcome
- reproductive failuree0
- Direction
- preventede0
- Qualifier
- during 5‐ or 7.5‐d water‐deficit periodse0
Not reportedTaxonComparator
Verbatim
e0“Stem infusion of liquid tissue culture medium during 5‐ or 7.5‐d water‐deficit periods initiated 1 d after silking prevented reproductive failure without rehydrating the plant”
Claim · model-written summary
Some medium-infused plants had grain yields approaching controls.
- Outcome
- Final grain yieldse0
- Direction
- approachede0
- Qualifier
- some of the medium‐infused plantse0
- Comparator
- control yieldse0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Final grain yields of some of the medium‐infused plants approached control yields”
Claim · model-written summary
Water infusion did not prevent nearly complete reproductive failure under dehydration.
- Treatment
- infusion of a similar volume of watere0
- Outcome
- nearly complete reproductive failuree0
- Comparator
- not infusede0
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Verbatim
e0“Dehydrated plants which received infusion of a similar volume of water or which were not infused experienced nearly complete reproductive failure”
Claim · model-written summary
Non-infused dehydrated maize had nearly complete reproductive failure.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Dehydrated plants which received infusion of a similar volume of water or which were not infused experienced nearly complete reproductive failure”
Claim · model-written summary
Photosynthesis recovered after rehydration in all plants exposed to low water potential.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Following rehydration, photosynthesis of all plants exposed to low ψ w during anthesis recovered”
Claim · model-written summary
Only medium-infused plants continued kernel development to maturity.
Not reportedTaxonComparatorDirection
Verbatim
e0“only those infused with the medium during low ψ w continued kernel development to maturity”
Claim · model-written summary
Plant growth regulators were unnecessary for an effective medium.
- Outcome
- plant growth regulators were not required for an effective mediume0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“plant growth regulators were not required for an effective medium”
Claim · model-written summary
Assimilate supply was identified as limiting maize reproduction near anthesis.
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“assimilate supply and not low plant ψ w per se as a limiting factor in maize reproductive failure near anthesis”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggest changing assimilate storage or phenology to improve drought tolerance.
- Outcome
- changes in the assimilate storage patterns and/or the phenology of maize plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“improvement in drought tolerance may be achieved by changes in the assimilate storage patterns and/or the phenology of maize plants”
Claim · model-written summary
The whole-plant system provides a model for studying reproductive failure at low water potential.
- Outcome
- model system for studying the cellular and subcellular mechanisms associated with failure of reproductive growth at low ψ we0
- Value
- whole plant systeme0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“this whole plant system provides an agriculturally relevant model system for studying the cellular and subcellular mechanisms associated with failure of reproductive growth at low ψ w”
The same questions in other papers
in vitro · growth · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
59 papers in the same direction as this paper · 26 in the opposite direction · 1 reporting no difference from an alternative
- negative
- negative
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83 papers more in this group
See all 87 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.