HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ladyman, J. A. R. Articles by Hanson, A. D. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Ladyman, J. A. R. Articles by Hanson, A. D. Agricola Articles by Ladyman, J. A. R. Articles by Hanson, A. D.

Genotypic Variation for Glycinebetaine Accumulation by Cultivated and Wild Barley in Relation to Water Stress¹

The accumulation of betaine (glyclnebetalne, N,N,N-trimethylglycine) in barley (Hordeum vulgate L.) during water stress may be of adaptive value. The objective of this research was to evaluate the variability for betalne level among genotypes of H. vulgare and H. spontaneum C. Koch in preparation for a physiological-genetic assessment of the adaptive value of betaine accumulation. Betaine was determined using either a pyrolysis/gas chromatographic method or a periodide spectrophotometric assay, specially modified for screening. In controlled environment tests, 339 genotypes were grown to the four-leaf stage under well-watered conditions and analyzed for shoot betaine level; 145 of these were also tested under water-stressed conditions. There were significant differences for betaine level among genotypes, both without and with water stress (approximate ranges of betaine levels: 10 to 40 µmol/g dry wt in well-watered conditions; 35 to 90 µtmol/g dry wt under stress). The betaine levels of stressed plants were significantly correlated with those of unstressed plants of the same genotype. Thirteen H. vulgare cultivars which were high and low accumulators in controlled environments were grown in the field under simulated dryland conditions and betaine was analyzed in the upper leaves. At the ear emergence stage, significant variation for betaine level was observed among cultivars although there were no significant differences in their water status. Those cultivars that accumulated either high or low levels of betaine in controlled environments accumulated respectively high or low levels in the field, the correlation among cultivars in the two environments was highly significant (r = 0.71). These results indicate that genotypic variability for betaine level is expressed in both controlled environments and in the field, and that this variability is unlikely to be due solely to variability for water status. Physiological-genetic studies of the adaptive role of betaine may thus be possible.

Key Words: Drought resistance • Betaine • Hordeum vulgare L. • Hordeum spontaneum C. Koch • Trimethylglycine

² Former graduate research assistant, MSU-DOE Plant Res. Lab. presently employeed at Shell Development Co., Box 4248, Modesto, CA 95350; graduate research assistant, Dep. of Horticulture; associate professor, MSUDOE Plant Res. Lab./Dep. of Crop and Soils Sciences, Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI 48824.

Received for publication June 14, 1982.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				W.-J. Yang, P. J. Rich, J. D. Axtell, K. V. Wood, C. C. Bonham, G. Ejeta, M. V. Mickelbart, and D. Rhodes Genotypic Variation for Glycinebetaine in Sorghum Crop Sci., January 1, 2003; 43(1): 162 - 169. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. W. Hamilton III, S. J. McNaughton, and J. S. Coleman Molecular, physiological, and growth responses to sodium stress in C4 grasses from a soil salinity gradient in the Serengeti ecosystem Am. J. Botany, July 1, 2001; 88(7): 1258 - 1265. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. W. Hamilton III and S. A. Heckathorn Mitochondrial Adaptations to NaCl. Complex I Is Protected by Anti-Oxidants and Small Heat Shock Proteins, Whereas Complex II Is Protected by Proline and Betaine Plant Physiology, July 1, 2001; 126(3): 1266 - 1274. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]