Distribution of glycine-betaine and proline in water stressed and unstressed barley leaves

The concentration of proline was found to be similar in the epidermis, the vascular bundles and mesophyll parenchyma protoplasts of barley seedlings. In stressed leaves, proline was accumulated mainly in the vascular bundles and the epidermis. Glycine-betaine was ca 15 times more concentrated in the epidermis and the vascular bundles than in mesophyll parenchyma protoplasts of non-stressed leaves. In stressed leaves, glycine-betaine accumulated preferentially in the vascular bundles and the epidermis. The feeding behaviour of the greenbug Schizaphis graminum on barley leaves was the same on stressed and non-stressed seedling

Induction of soluble and cell wall peroxidases by aphid infestation in barley

Peroxidase enzymes have been found in soluble, ionically bound, and covalently bound forms and have been implicated in several physiological processes in plants. This paper investigates the effect of aphid infestation on soluble and bound-cell wall peroxidase activity and bound-cell wall isoform changes of barley plants. Peroxidase activity was measured in control plants and plants infested with the aphid Schizaphis graminum (Rondani). The activity of soluble peroxidases increased with time of infestation, older plants being more affected than younger ones. The increase in bound-cell wall peroxidase activity as a function of age was higher in infested than in control plants, being higher in ionically bound than in covalently bound peroxidases. When the aphids were removed from plants, the activities of both types of peroxidases decreased to control levels. Isoelectrofocusing analyses of the ionically bound peroxidases showed changes in the isoform pattern. A new isoform was induced by infestation. The activities of all covalently bound isoforms increased after infestation. The physiological implications of these changes are discusse

Hydroxamic acids in Secale cereale L. and the relationship with their antifeedant and allelopathic properties

Contents of the hydroxamic acids 2,4-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIBOA), and 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIMBOA) in leaves and roots of 14 cultivars of rye, Secale cereale L., were determined. Dynamics of accumulation in three cultivars were evaluated. DIBOA was the main cyclic hydroxamic acid in leaves but the contents differed significantly between the cultivars. Both DIBOA and DIMBOA were present in the roots. Maximum concentration of DIBOA in leaves and DIMBOA in roots was reached between 48-54 h and 54-72 h after germination, respectively. Antifeedant activity of DIBOA towards the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi and the feeding behavior were studied by electronic recording in barley leaves treated with different contents of DIBOA. The deleterious activity of DI-BOA could arise by starvation and/or a toxic effect. Additionally, allelopathic potential of pure DIBOA and aqueous extracts of leaves and roots of rye (Tetra-Baer) on the germination of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and rye (Tetra-Baer) seeds was evaluated. A high percentage of germination inhibition of pure DIBOA and the extracts of leaves and roots was observed. The activity is in agreement with the contents of hydroxamic acids in the plants. The substrates had no allelopathic effect on rye seeds