Ja. Wilmer et al., EFFECT OF GROWTH TEMPERATURE ON ERUCIC-ACID LEVELS IN SEEDS AND MICROSPORE-DERIVED EMBRYOS OF OILSEED RAPE, BRASSICA-NAPUS L, Journal of plant physiology, 147(5), 1996, pp. 486-492
Effect of growth temperature on the fatty acid composition of triglyce
rides was compared for developing seeds and microspore-derived embryos
of rapeseed. Plants were grown under standard conditions and subseque
ntly seed development was allowed to take place at 15 or 25 degrees C.
The composition of seed oil of the low erucic acid cultivar Aurora an
d a high erucic acid Guile-derived line were not affected by growth te
mperature. The cultivar Reston showed a 30% reduction in erucic acid l
evel in seeds from plants grown at 25 degrees C as compared with seeds
from plants grown at 15 degrees C. Seeds from plants that were transf
erred once during development from 15 degrees to 25 degrees or vice ve
rsa, after two thirds of their development had been completed, showed
an oil composition similar to seeds that developed completely at the i
nitial temperature. Seeds transferred before or during the period of m
aximum lipid synthesis showed oil compositions that were similar to oi
l formed at the final temperature or intermediate between those of see
ds completely grown at 15 degrees C or 25 degrees C, respectively. In
microspore-derived embryos (MDEs) similar responses to temperature in
the level of erucic acid could be observed. However, absolute levels o
f erucic acid in MDEs of both Reston and Guile were 30-50% lower than
in seed oil. Results are discussed in relation to possible regulatory
mechanisms of temperature-induced changes in oil composition.