The Role of Ascorbic Acid in Growth, Differentiation and Metabolism of Plants

335 Pages·1984·19.05 MB·English

by  N. J. Chinoy

THE ROLE OF ASCORBIC ACID IN GROWTH, DIFFERENTIATION
AND METABOLISM OF PLANTS
ADVANCES IN AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
Related titles previously published
Akazawa T., et aI., eds: The New Frontiers in Plant Biochemistry. 1983.
ISBN 90-247-2829-0
Gottschalk W. and Muller H.P., eds: Seed Proteins: Biochemistry, Genetics, Nu
tritive Value. 1983. ISBN 90-247-2789-8
Marcelle R., Clijsters H. and Van Poucke M., eds: Effects of Stress on
Photosynthesis. 1983. ISBN 90-247-2799-5
Veeger C. and Newton W.E., eds: Advances in Nitrogen Fixation Research
1984. ISBN 90-247-2906-8
The Role of Ascorbic Acid
in Growth, Differentiation
and Metabolism of Plants
by the late
J.J. CHINOY
Gujarat University, India
edited by
N.J. CHINOY
Gujarat University, India
co-edited by
I.e. DAVE
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Bombay, India
Y.D. SINGH
Saurashtra University
Gujarat, India
O.P. SAXENA
Gujarat University, India
A.V. VYAS
M.G. Science Institute
Ahmedabad (Gujarat), India
1984 MARTINUS NIJHOFF lOR W. JUNK PUBLISHERS
a member of the KLUWER ACADEMIC PUBLISHERS GROUP
THE HAGUE / BOSTON / LANCASTER
Distributors
for the United States and Canada: Kluwer Boston, Inc., 190 Old Derby Street,
Hingham, MA 02043, USA
for all other countries: Kluwer Academic Publishers Group, Distribution Center,
P .O.Box 322, 3300 AH Dordrecht, The Netherlands
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Library of Congress Cataloging In Publication Data
Chinoy, J. J., d. 1978.
The role of ascorbic acid in growth, differentiation,
and metabolism of plants.
(Advances in agricultural biotechnology)
Includes index.
1. Plants, Effect of Vitamin C on. I. Chinoy, N. J.
II. Title. III. Series.
QK753.V58c48 1984 581.19'26 83-25104
ISBN-13: 978-94-010-3715-0 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-010-3713-6
001: 10.1007/978-94-010-3713-6
Copyright
© 1984 by Martinus NijhofflDr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of
the publishers,
Martinus NijhofflDr W. Junk Publishers, P.O. Box 566, 2501 CN The Hague,
The Netherlands.
v
CONTENTS
Preface & Acknowledgements vii
I. ASCORBIC ACID: CHEMISTRY, PROPERTIES,
BIOSYNTHESIS AND ASSAY
1. Structure and properties of free 1
and bound Ascorbic Acid
2. Biogenesis, detection and deter- 28
mination of free and bound Ascorbic
Aeid
II. ASCORBIC ACID IN PLANT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
3. Photosynthesis and Respiration 68
4. Germination, Juvenile and Vegetative 100
growth
5. Reproductive Growth 150
6. Senescence 189
7. Root Nodules 195
III. ASCORBIC ACID AND STRESS PHYSIOLOGY
8. Drought resistanee and presowing 212
treatments
9. Radiation 265
IV. ASCORBIC ACID AND METABOLIC REGULATION
10. Polyphenols 277
11. Enzyme aetion 283
12. Regulation 303
Subject Index 320
VII
PREFACE
There is a paucity of information on the dynamics of
Ascorbic Acid (AA) turnover in relation to germination,
metabolism, growth, differentiation and development of a
plant and in those undergoing stress of various types. in
presowing treatment of seeds etc. The turnover of AA plays
an important role during the juvenile phase of growth of a
plant and has a significant bearing on its subsequent
growth, development and maturation. The beneficial effect
of presowing treatment of seed with Ascorbic Acid (AA)
+ H2 O2 highlights the validity of the AA-nucleic acid
protein metabolism concept of growth and development of
plan ts.
During the course of the last 30 years, work has been
undertaken by the author and his collaborators on the meta
bolic drifts of regulatory substances during juvenile,
vegetative, reproductive and senescent phases. The most
important of these growth regulatory substances was found
to be Ascorbic Acid. The dynamiC role of AA turnover is
revealed by its control of rates of metabolic processes as
well as those of enzymic reactions which paves the way to
"New Genetics".
A reference to the role of AA in metabolism and growth
of the animal cell has been specially made with a view to
emphasize the oneness of the fundamental reactions in both
plants and animals. Fundamental processes viz. the onset
of reproductive phase, microsporogenesis. megasporogenesis,
embryogenesis, and others in the plant as well as spermato
genesis, embryogenesis, muscle metaholism and those of a
number of other tissues in the animal reveal identical
metabolic machinery powered by the electron energy of the
free radicals formed by the falling apart of the complexing
partners of the charge transfer complex hetween AA and macro
molecules. Thus at the molecular and suhmolecular levels,
the plant and the animal systems are very similar in their
ascorbate turnover pattern.
VIII
The foresoins _onosraph on - 'THE ROLE OF ASCORBIC ACID
IN GROWTH, DJ:'FFERENTIATION AND METABOLISM OF PLANTS' is.
therefore, a special treatise on a theme which has not heen
hitherto fully exploited in detail. Morphological, bio
chemical. biopbysical and histochemical evidences have been
presented in this compilation to elucidate the electron
donating role of AA in many a plant process.
To the best of our knowledge. this book should rank as
one amongst the few availab~e monographs elucidating the
role of Ascorbic Acid in various facets of plant life.
Moreover, the work incorporated in the book has considerable
practical importance for obtaining higher yield of crops,
better growth of plants and for producing those which are
able to withstand stress conditions.
Ahmedabad, 1983 Editor
Co-Editors
IX
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I place on record .y sincere gratitude to the University
Graftts Commission, New Delhi, India, for allowing me to
compile this monograph and for offering all necessary faci
lities for carrying out extensive research on multifarious
roles of AscorbiC Acid in plant growth and productivity.
My grateful thanks are due to Professors O.P. Garg of
Depart.ent of Botany. Punjab University, Chandigarh, India.
and M.M. Laloraya of Department of Life Sciences, Indore
University. Indore (MP). India. for providing timely material
for compilation of Chapters 7 and 10 respeetively.
I deem it a pleasure to express my appreciation to
Professors F.A. Loewus, M. Miehniewicz,. D.I. Arnon, L.W.
Mapson, A. Szent Gyorgyi. B. Aberg. K.K. Nanda. G.S. Sirohi.
K. Mothes. M. Reid. M. Kutacek. O. Stocker, I. Yamaz~ki.
P. Schopfer. S. Tonzig and many others for making available
their reprints.
My special thanks go to Mr. R.K. Modi for painstakingly
typing out the monograph; Mr. N.A. Shah for the expert
handling of photographic prints; the artists Mr. Somabhai
Dholakia and Mr. N.V. Shah for their untiring efforts; and
all the staff of the Department of Botany and The Gujarat
University for helping me in various ways during the
compilation of this monograph.
Finally. I would like to express profound thanks and
appreciation to my dear wife, Roda for her dedication, silent
forbearance, help and encouragement without which this work
would have remained incomplete.
Professor J.J. Chinoy
Professor of Botany and Director
University School of Sciences
Gujarat University
Ahmedabad - 380 009 Ahmedabad. 1978
x
The Editor and Co-editors of this _ana graph acknowledge
with sincere gratitude the help rendered by all research
students of Professor 3.J. Chinoy, especially Dr. J.N. Patel,
Dr. P.V. Vaishnav, Dr. K.C. Bhatt, Dr. D.B. Jadeja, Dr. N.S.
Sharma and Dr. S. Verghese after his sad and sudden demise
on 12th May, 1978, in the ardous task of proof reading and
checking of references. The willing assistance of Dr. Kersi
Fanibunda of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK; Dr. Lovji D. Cama of
New Jersey, USA; Dr. M.V. Rao and Dr. R.J. Verma, Department
of Zoology, Gujarat University, in proof reading is highly
appreciated.
The timely help rendered in typing out the manuscript by
Mr. V.T. Viswanathan is greatly appreciated. The Editor and
Co-editors express grateful thanks to Madam Roda ~. Chinoy
for per_itting the free and full access to all the relevant
papers, data and literature of Late Professor J.J. Chinoy to
enable uS to Iinalize the monograph. We also hasten to
mention that the reference to work on Ascorbic Acid Metabolism
in Animals is the research work carried out by Dr. (Miss)
N.J. Chinoy. We have made extensive use of Dr. O.P. Saxena's
review paper on 'Presowing Treatment of Seeds' while
compiling Chapter B for which we owe grateful thanks to him.
And finally, we would like to thank one and all in our
respective families and from the Departments of Botany and
Zoology, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India, for helping
us in various ways.
Editor
Dr. (Miss) N. J. Chinoy
Gujarat University, India
Co-Editors
Dr. I. C. Dave Dr. O. P. Saxena
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Gujarat University, India
Bombay, India.
Dr. Y. D. Singh Dr. (Miss) A. V. Vyas
Saurashtra University M.G. Science Institute
Gujarat, India. Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
XI
ABBREVIATIONS
Ascorbic acid
Free Radical of ascorbic acid
Ascorbic acid free radical
AA - MM ~ Ascorbic acid - macromolecule complex
AAO • Ascorbic acid oxidase
AAU • Ascorbic acid utilization
AgN03 Silver nitrate
ASG Ascorbic acid bound or ascorbigen
ATP Adenosine triphosphate
Bz Benzimydazole
C Control (non-vernalized)
Ce .. Cerium
*
Chlorophyll Light excited chlorophyll
Co .. Cobalt
Col Colchicine
Cs Cesium
CTC Charge transfer complex
Cu Copper
cv Cultivar
DCMU -3-(3'-4' -dichlorophenyl)-l, I-dime -
thylurea
DCPIP 2, 6-Dichlorophenol indophenol
DCPIPH2 2, 6 Dichlorophenol indophenol reduced
DDC Diethyldithiocarbamate
DHA Dehydroascorbic acid
DKG 2, 3 - diketogulonic acid
DNPH 2, 4 - Dinitrophenylhydrazine
DPPH' .. a, a - diphenyl - B - picryl hydrazyl
DW Distilled water
e. value .. Extinction value
E,£ Enzyme, Energon
EI
Redox potential
o
EDTA Ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid
EMH Enzyme mobilizing hormone
..
EPR Electron paramagnetic resonance