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Updated: Jul 31, 2025

An Induction System for Clustered Stomata by Sugar Solution Immersion Treatment in Arabidopsis thaliana Seedlings
Published on: February 15, 2019
Chilling induces sugar and ABA accumulation that antagonistically signals for symplastic connection of dormant potato
Raz Danieli1,2, Shmuel Assouline3, Bolaji Babajide Salam1
1Department of Postharvest Science, The Volcani Institute, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Rishon LeZion, Israel.
Abstract:
Endodormancy (ED) is a crucial stage in the life cycle of many perennial plants. ED release requires accumulating a certain amount of cold exposure, measured as chilling units. However, the mechanism governing the effect of chilling on ED duration is poorly understood. We used the potato tuber model to investigate the response to chilling as associated with ED release. We measured the accumulation of specific sugars during and after chilling, defined as sugar units. We discovered that ED duration correlated better with sugar units accumulation than chilling units. A logistic function was developed based on sugar units measurements to predict ED duration. Knockout or overexpression of the vacuolar invertase gene (StVInv) unexpectedly modified sugar units levels and extended or shortened ED, respectively. Silencing the energy sensor SNF1-related protein kinase 1, induced higher sugar units accumulation and shorter ED. Sugar units accumulation induced by chilling or transgenic lines reduced plasmodesmal (PD) closure in the dormant bud meristem. Chilling or knockout of abscisic acid (ABA) 8'-hydroxylase induced ABA accumulation, in parallel to sweetening, and antagonistically promoted PD closure. Our results suggest that chilling induce sugar units and ABA accumulation, resulting in antagonistic signals for symplastic connection of the dormant bud.
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