Drought stress syndrome in wheat is provoked by ethylene evolution imbalance and reversed by rewatering, aminoethoxyvinylglycine, or sodium benzoate

Abstract

In this work we present evidence that the drought stress syndrome in the flag leaves and ears of wheat plants, provoked by the production of ethylene (shortening the grain filling period and lowering the grain weight) is reversed by the application of a free radical scavenger, sodium benzoate or the ethylene synthesis inhibitor, aminoethoxyvinylglycine. Rehydration by watering also attenuated the detrimental effect of the water deficit. Consequently, the grain filling period was longer, the grain weight increased, and the total protein content was higher than that in plants watered regularly.