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

Hao Zhang, Guilu Tan, Zhiqin Wang, Jianchang Yang*, Jianhua ZHANG

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

32 Citations (Scopus)

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.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)85-96
Number of pages12
JournalPlant Growth Regulation
Volume58
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2009

Scopus Subject Areas

  • Physiology
  • Agronomy and Crop Science
  • Plant Science

User-Defined Keywords

  • 1-Aminocylopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC)
  • Appearance quality
  • Ethylene
  • Grain filling
  • Milling quality
  • Rice (Oryza sativa)

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