Response to chilling of tomato seedlings and cells in suspension cultures

Tomato cell suspensions and seedlings (Lycopersicon esculentum) responded comparably when exposed to chilling temperatures (10 C or below). Seedling growth and cellular activities related to cell viability and culture growth (triphenyltetrazolium chloride reduction, fluoroscein diacetate uptake, and hydrolysis) were sharply diminished below 10 C. Arrhenius plots of the respiratory O(2) consumption by both seedlings and cell suspensions had a break at 10 C, as is characteristic for chilling-sensitive species. The acyl chains that were found in the phospholipids of both cell cultures and seedlings were similar. These results indicate the potential usefulness of plant suspension cultures for studies of chilling injury.