M. Antikainen et S. Pihakaski, EARLY DEVELOPMENTS IN RNA, PROTEIN, AND SUGAR LEVELS DURING COLD STRESS IN WINTER RYE (SECALE-CEREALE) LEAVES, Annals of botany, 74(4), 1994, pp. 335-341
Changes in freezing tolerance of winter rye (Secale cereale L. cv. Voi
ma) were determined for leaf tissues during a 1-week cold stress, whic
h was performed by transferring the 7-d-old seedlings from a greenhous
e (25-degrees-C, long day) to 3-degrees-C and short day conditions. Th
e development of cold hardening was shown by using an ion leakage test
and by determining the amounts of carbohydrates, soluble proteins and
RNA. The first evidence of the development of freezing resistance was
found after 1 d at low temperature, i.e. an LT50 value increased from
-5 to -7-degrees-C. Plants cold treated for 7 d reached an LT50 value
of -9-degrees-C. This increase in freezing tolerance was found to be
associated with the increased levels of soluble carbohydrates, total R
NA and soluble proteins. These metabolic changes indicate the associat
ion with adjustment of growth and cell metabolism to low temperatures
at the beginning of cold acclimation of winter rye.