Plant Physiol. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
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Plant Physiology 69:1031-1035 (1982)
© 1982 American Society of Plant Biologists

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Articles

Potentiating Effect of Pure Oxygen on the Enhancement of Respiration by Ethylene in Plant Storage Organs: A Comparative Study 1

Athanasios Theologis2 and George G. Laties3

Department of Biology and Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024

A number of fruits and bulky storage organs were studied with respect to the effect of pure O2 on the extent and time-course of the respiratory rise induced by ethylene. In one group, of which potato (Solanum tuberosum var. Russet) and carrot (Daucus carota) are examples, the response to ethylene in O2 is much greater than in air. In a second group, of which avocado (Persea americana Mill. var. Hass) and banana (Musa cavendishii Lambert var. Valery) are examples, air and O2 are equally effective. When O2-responsive organs are peeled, air and O2 synergize the ethylene response to the same extent in parsnip (Pastinaca sativa), whereas O2 is more stimulatory than air in carrots. In the latter instance, carrot flesh is considered to contribute significantly to diffusion resistance. The release of CO2, an ethylene antagonist, is recognized as another element in the response to peeling.

The potentiating effect of O2 is considered to be primarily on ethylene action in the development of the respiratory rise rather than on the respiration process per se. On the assumption that diffusion controls O2 movement into bulky organs and the peel represents the major diffusion barrier, simple calculations indicate that the O2 concentration in untreated organs in air readily sustains respiration. Furthermore, in ethylene-treated organs in pure O2, the internal O2 concentration is more than enough to maintain the high respiration rates. Skin conductivity to O2 is the fundamental parameter differentiating O2-responsive from O2-nonresponsive fruits and bulky storage organs. The large preceding the earliest response to ethylene, as well as the magnitude of the ethylene-induced respiratory rise, is also controlled by permeability characteristics of the peel.

2 Present address: Biological Sciences Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305.

3 To whom reprint requests should be addressed.

1 Supported by grant GM-19807 from the United States Public Health Service (to G. G. L.).






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Copyright © 1982 by the American Society of Plant Biologists