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Adenine Nucleotide Changes during Cold Acclimation of Winter Rape Plants
E A Sobczyk1, A Kacperska-Palacz
1Institute of Botany, University of Warsaw, Poland.
Plant Physiology
|December 1, 1978
Summary
Winter rape plants (Brassica napus) increase leaf ATP during cold hardening. Roots show decreased ATP, indicating cold stress, while leaves maintain energy via light and dark processes.
Area of Science:
- Plant Physiology
- Biochemistry
- Cold Stress Response
Background:
- Winter rape (Brassica napus) exhibits hardening to survive cold temperatures.
- Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is crucial for cellular energy and plant survival.
- Understanding ATP dynamics during cold acclimation is vital for crop resilience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the changes in ATP content in winter rape leaves and roots during cold hardening.
- To determine the role of light and dark processes in maintaining ATP levels under cold stress.
- To differentiate the metabolic responses of hardening leaves versus non-hardening roots.
Main Methods:
- Controlled cold treatment of winter rape plants (cv. Górczański) at different temperatures (5°C to 0°C).
- Measurement of ATP content in leaf and root tissues.
- Analysis of light and dark processes influencing ATP levels.
Main Results:
- A significant increase in leaf ATP content was observed during the initial stage of cold hardening.
- Further temperature decrease (5°C to 0°C) did not alter leaf ATP levels.
- Roots, unable to harden, displayed a marked decrease in ATP content after prolonged cold exposure.
- Elevated ATP content and higher energy charge in cold-acclimated leaves were attributed to both light and dark metabolic pathways.
Conclusions:
- Cold hardening in winter rape leaves involves an increase in ATP content, supported by both light and dark reactions.
- Plant roots are more susceptible to cold-induced ATP depletion, highlighting their limited hardening capacity.
- ATP level regulation is a key factor in winter rape's cold stress tolerance mechanism.
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