ABA gene expression during kernel development in relation to pre-harvest sprouting in wheat and triticale

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) during wet and cool harvest periods remains a serious problem in the production of cereals like barley, wheat and triticale. Being involved in dormancy induction and maintenance during seed development, abscisic acid (ABA) may play a key role to improve dormancy level and hence PHS-tolerance in these grains. In this study, we investigated the ABA levels and expression profiles of ABA biosynthesis and degradation genes during kernel development to explore the potential of these genes for improving PHS-tolerance in wheat and triticale. Plants of a PHS-tolerant and a PHS-susceptible variety of both wheat and triticale were grown under controlled conditions from flowering to harvest. At regular time points, kernels were harvested for ABA analysis and RNA extraction. RNA extracts were used in an RT-qPCR assay to obtain expression profiles of the ABA synthesis genes ZEP, NCED1 and NCED2 and the ABA degradation genes CYP707A1 and CYP707A2. In contrast to reports in Arabidopsis, the ZEP gene was predominantly expressed towards harvest maturity in both wheat and triticale. NCED1 expression coincided well with the observed ABA levels during kernel development, while NCED2 expression was mainly detected in early development, indicating a potential role for dormancy induction. ABA degradation towards harvest maturity was mainly associated with increased CYP707A1 expression, whereas CYP707A2 expression appeared to correlate with the regulation of ABA levels during kernel development. However, no differential expression of the investigated genes was detected between PHS-tolerant and PHS-susceptible varieties.