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Ethylene and ACC levels in developing grains are related to the poor appearance and milling quality of rice

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Abstract

The possible relationship between the levels of ethylene and 1-aminocylopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) in the grains and the quality of rice (Oryza sativa L.) were investigated by using 12 rice cultivars. The results showed that both the ethylene evolution rate and ACC content in grains during the grain filling period correlated negatively with head rice production and positively with chalky kernels, chalky size, and chalkiness. The levels of ethylene and ACC were not significantly correlated with alkali spreading value and amylose content. Application of ethephon, an ethylene-releasing agent, or ACC to panicles at the early grain filling stage significantly reduced the rates of brown rice, milled rice, and head rice, and significantly increased the percentage of chalky kernels, chalky size, and chalkiness. Application of aminoethoxyvinylglycine, an inhibitor of ACC synthase, had the opposite effect. Chalkiness appears to be a senescence related phenomenon which is stimulated by ethylene. The results suggest that ethylene and ACC in grains play an important role in regulating rice quality, and that grain appearance and milling quality would be improved though the reduction of ethylene and ACC in grains during grain filling.

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Abbreviations

ACC:

1-Aminocylopropane-1-carboxylic acid

AGPase:

ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase

AVG:

Aminoethoxyvinylglycine

DAH:

Days after heading

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

SSSase:

Soluble starch synthase

SuSase:

Sucrose synthase

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30671225, 30771274, 30800670), the State Key Project of China (2006BAD02A13-3-2), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK2006069, BK2007071), Hong Kong University Grants Committee (AOE/B-07/99), and Hong Kong Baptist University Matching Research Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China

    Hao Zhang, Guilu Tan, Zhiqin Wang & Jianchang Yang

  2. Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China

    Jianhua Zhang

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  1. Hao Zhang
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  2. Guilu Tan
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  3. Zhiqin Wang
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  4. Jianchang Yang
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Correspondence to Jianchang Yang or Jianhua Zhang.

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Zhang, H., Tan, G., Wang, Z. et al. Ethylene and ACC levels in developing grains are related to the poor appearance and milling quality of rice. Plant Growth Regul 58, 85–96 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-008-9354-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-008-9354-8

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