Waterlogging during flowering and boll forming stages affects sucrose metabolism in the leaves subtending the cotton boll and its relationship with boll weight.
The work explored sucrose metabolism in the leaves subtending the cotton boll (SBL) and its role in boll weight after waterlogging in cotton. Results showed that net photosynthesis rate (Pn), relative water content, contents of Chlorophyll a and Chlorophyll b, initial ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco) activity and cytosolic fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase (cy-FBPase) activity decreased with waterlogging in the SBL on fruiting branches 2-3 (FB2-3) and FB6-7. Activities of sucrose synthase (SuSy) and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) increased to the maximum up to 6 days of waterlogging then decreased with prolonged waterlogging. Rubisco activation and specific leaf weight increased and gene expressions of SuSy, SPS and rubisco activase (RCA) were all up-regulated with the duration of waterlogging, especially for the SBL on FB6-7. The induction of activity and gene expression of SuSy was most significant indicating its crucial role in sucrose metabolism after waterlogging. For the SBL in the later period of boll development on upper FB10-11 and FB14-15, the pattern seemed opposite to that of FB2-3 and FB6c7 as compensation effect in vegetative growth existed. Correlation analysis revealed that initial Rubisco activity and cy-FBPase activity were the main limitation to Pn reduction after waterlogging. Reduction in Pn, sucrose transformation rate and initial Rubisco activity directly decrease boll weight in waterlogged cotton. Besides the role in sucrose metabolism after waterlogging, SuSy also had a positive significant correlation with the duration of rapid-accumulation period for seed fiber weight (P<0.05). These findings elucidated mechanisms to waterlogging that affected seed fiber weight, which resulted from alteration in carbohydrates, enzymes and genes.
Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology & Ecology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
Jie
J
Kuai
Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology & Ecology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
Zhaowei
Z
Liu
Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology & Ecology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
Youhua
Y
Wang
Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology & Ecology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
Yali
Y
Meng
Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology & Ecology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
Binglin
B
Chen
Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology & Ecology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
Wenqing
W
Zhao
Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology & Ecology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu Province, PR China. Electronic address: giscott@njau.edu.cn.
Zhiguo
Z
Zhou
Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA.
Derrick M
DM
Oosterhuis
D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism / Q000235:genetics; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D032561:Cotton Fiber; D035264:Flowers / Q000502:physiology*; D005638:Fruit / Q000254:growth & development; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D003368:Gossypium / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D009929:Organ Size; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000254:growth & development; D013213:Starch / Q000378:metabolism; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism*; D014867:Water / Q000502:physiology*; D014887:Weather
D014867:Water; D002734:Chlorophyll; D013395:Sucrose; C037184:chlorophyll b; D013213:Starch; D000077194:Chlorophyll A
Boll weight; Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.); Fruiting branches; Sucrose metabolism; The SBL; Waterlogging