Effect of Waterlogged Soil Conditions on the Production of Ethylene and on Water Relationships in Tomato Plants

Abstract

The roots of tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., cv. Moneymaker) were exposed to low concentrations of oxygen by waterlogging the soil or by growing the plants in nutrient solution flushed with nitrogen gas. After 24 h, the rate of ethylene production by the petioles, main stem, and shoot apex was increased by 4–6-fold and the petioles developed epinastic curvatures. Removing the roots did not reproduce these responses. The amounts of ethylene produced by shoot tissues in response to physical wounding was greatly increased by waterlogging the soil.