Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 28, 2026
08:51
Utilizing the Ethylene-releasing Compound, 2-Chloroethylphosphonic Acid, as a Tool to Study Ethylene Response in Bacteria
Published on: November 10, 2016
Carbon dioxide and ethylene interactions in tulip bulbs
Hans P.J de Wild1, Henk Gude, Herman W Peppelenbos
1Agrotechnological Research Institute (ATO), Bornsesteeg 59, PO Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands Applied Plant Research, Flower Bulbs, PO Box 85, Vennestraat 22, 2160 AB Lisse, The Netherlands.
Physiologia Plantarum
|March 21, 2002
Summary
Carbon dioxide (CO2) mitigates ethylene-induced gummosis and respiration peaks in tulip bulbs. These findings suggest CO2 influences plant physiology beyond ethylene receptor competition, impacting weight loss and respiration.
Area of Science:
- Plant Physiology
- Horticultural Science
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Ethylene is a plant hormone regulating various physiological processes.
- Gummosis, weight loss, and respiration changes are key indicators of plant stress and senescence.
- Understanding the interaction between ethylene and CO2 is crucial for post-harvest management of tulip bulbs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of carbon dioxide (CO2) on ethylene-induced gummosis, weight loss, and respiration in tulip bulbs (Tulipa gesneriana L.).
- To elucidate the role of ethylene receptors in mediating these responses.
- To determine if CO2 acts by competing with ethylene at the receptor site.
Main Methods:
- Tulip bulbs were treated with ethylene and CO2 under controlled conditions.
- 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) was used to block ethylene receptors.
- Gummosis, O2 consumption, and fresh weight (FW) loss were measured.
- An O2 consumption model was employed to analyze respiratory responses.
Main Results:
- Ethylene induced gummosis, transient O2 consumption peaks, and weight loss in tulip bulbs.
- CO2 significantly reduced ethylene-induced gummosis and respiratory peaks.
- CO2's effect on respiration persisted even after blocking ethylene receptors with 1-MCP.
- Both ethylene and CO2 stimulated weight loss, with combined effects being additive, not competitive.
Conclusions:
- CO2 mitigates ethylene's detrimental effects on tulip bulbs, reducing gummosis and respiration.
- CO2's influence on respiration is partly independent of ethylene receptor interaction.
- The findings suggest complex interactions between CO2 and ethylene in regulating tulip bulb physiology, with implications for storage and handling.
Related Concept Videos
01:27C4 Pathway and CAM
Most plants use the C3 pathway for carbon fixation. However, some plants, such as sugar cane, corn, and cacti that grow in hot conditions, use alternative pathways to fix carbon and conserve energy loss due to photorespiration. Photorespiration is the process that occurs when the oxygen concentration is high. Under such conditions, the rubisco enzyme in the Calvin cycle binds O2 instead of CO2, which halts photosynthesis and consumes energy.
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
02:04Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata
During photosynthesis, plants acquire the necessary carbon dioxide and release the produced oxygen back into the atmosphere. Openings in the epidermis of plant leaves is the site of this exchange of gasses. A single opening is called a stoma—derived from the Greek word for “mouth.” Stomata open and close in response to a variety of environmental cues.
01:46The Calvin Benson Cycle
Ribulose 1,5- bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCo) is a critical enzyme that catalyzes carbon dioxide assimilation during photosynthesis. However, it is an inefficient enzyme, having an extremely slow catalytic rate. A typical enzyme can process about a thousand molecules per second; however, RuBisCo fixes only around three-carbon dioxides per second. Photosynthetic cells compensate for this slow rate by synthesizing very high amounts of RuBisCo, making it the most abundant single...
01:12Cycloaddition Reactions: MO Requirements for Photochemical Activation
Some cycloaddition reactions are activated by heat, while others are initiated by light. For example, a [2 + 2] cycloaddition between two ethylene molecules occurs only in the presence of light. It is photochemically allowed but thermally forbidden.
01:28Carbon-dioxide Fixation
Carbon dioxide fixation in prokaryotes enables the assimilation of inorganic carbon into organic molecules, supporting biosynthetic pathways, sustaining ecosystems, and contributing to the global carbon cycle. It also has industrial applications in carbon capture and bioproduct synthesis. Autotrophic organisms rely on this process to utilize CO₂ as a carbon source in diverse environments.The Calvin CycleThe Calvin cycle is the most widespread carbon fixation mechanism, primarily used by...
01:09Microbe-Plant Interactions
Microbe-plant interactions represent a dynamic spectrum of associations shaped by intricate chemical signaling. These interactions can be neutral, beneficial, or detrimental, and profoundly influence plant physiology, growth, and ecosystem function. The plant microbiome, comprising bacteria, fungi, archaea, protists, and viruses, plays a pivotal role in mediating these effects through surface colonization, internal colonization, or systemic symbiosis.Mutualistic associations, particularly with...