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Title: TREATMENTS WITH METHYL SALICYLATE AND METHYL JASMONATE INCREASE CHILLING TOLERANCE AND EXPRESSION LEVELS OF ALTERNATIVE OXIDASE TRANSCRIPT IN BELL PEPPERS

Author
item FUNG, RAYMOND - HORT RES,AUCKLAN,NZ
item Wang, Chien
item Smith, David
item Gross, Kenneth
item TIAN, MEISHENG - HORT RES,AUCKLAN,NZ

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/5/2003
Publication Date: 8/10/2003
Citation: Fung, R.W., Wang, C.Y., Smith, D.L., Gross, K.C., Tian, M. Treatments with methyl salicylate and methyl jasmonate increase chilling tolerance and expression levels of alternative oxidase transcript in bell peppers. Hortscience. 2003. V. 38. P. 860.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Methyl salicylate (MeSA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) vapors increased chilling tolerance of green bell pepper (C. annuum L. cv Century). Since chilling injury (surface pitting) appeared within 3 days of storage, we focused on the period before symptoms were visible. Transcript levels of genes involved in defense against oxidative stress were compared between treated pepper fruit and the control. Transcript levels of alternative oxidase (AOX) were found to be the most responsive, compared with seven other genes encoding antioxidative enzymes. Both MeSA and MeJA enhanced expression levels of AOX transcript at room temperature and during 0 degree C storage. In addition to the expected 1.5 kb AOX transcript, RNA gel blot analysis revealed an extra transcript at size of 3.5 kb at 0 degree C. Both AOX transcripts reached maximal levels within 1 day of 0 degree C storage for MeSA treated fruit and stayed at high levels as long as the fruit were kept at 0 degree C. The expression patterns of AOX and seven different antioxidative genes suggested that under the influence of MeSA and MeJA vapors, reactive oxygen species (ROS) avoidance gene (i.e. AOX) was expressed well in advance before and during exposure to low temperature stress. It prepared the pepper fruit to become more chilling tolerance and the demands for ROS scavenging mechanism became minimal.