Factors Affecting Polyamine Accumulation in Barley (Hordeum vulgareL.) Leaf Sections during Osmotic Stress

Abstract

Turner, L. B. and Stewart, G. R. 1988. Factors affecting polyamine accumulation in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaf sections during osmotic stress.-J. exp. Bot. 39: 311–316. Polyamine concentrations in peeled leaf sections of Hordeum vulgare were unaffected by decreases in leaf water potential if osmotic adjustment took place and leaf turgor was maintained. Putrescine accumulation occurred concomitantly with a decrease in leaf turgor. Increases in the order of 3-to 4-fold were observed. An apparently greater putrescine accumulation (7-fold) occurred when leaf sections were osmotically stressed in the presence of exogenous phosphate ions. This was the result of water loss from the tissue and the large decline which occurred in the putrescine levels of control tissue sections incubated with phosphate ions. Putrescine accumulation was at its maximum after 4 h osmotic stress. In contrast, proline accumulation took place between 4 h and 24 h after the imposition of osmotic stress.