Chenopodium murale L., a long-day plant as a model for physiological and biochemical research

Abstract

Chenopodium murale L. genus Chenopodium family Chenopodiaceae is a weedy annual widely distributed in Serbia. This is a long-day plant and an early flowering species. We used culture of intact plants in vitro and antioxidative enzymes detection in order to examine the effect of gibberellic acid (GA3) on two key processes during ontogenesis – germination and flowering. Our results showed a sequential expression of antioxidative enzymes during germination. In dry seeds and during early imbibition catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities showed no changes, while peroxidase (POD) activity was under the level of delectability. During radicule protrusion CAT and SOD activity increased. Early seedling development correlates with decrease in SOD, increase in CAT and appearance of POD activity. GA3 delayed and synchronized germination. C. murale photoperiodic sensitivity for flowering shows age-dependant oscillatory changes. Glucose and GA3 have cumulative stimulatory effect on its flowering in vitro. The exposure of 2 months old vegetative plants to continuous darkness, in the presence of GA3 in culture media, resulted in flowering. Therefore transferring to darkness canceled photoperiodic control in C.murale and flowering occurred under autonomous mechanism. We suggest C.murale as a suitable model for investigation of physiological and biochemical mechanisms of growth and developmental processes.

Keywords

• catalase
• Chenopodium murale L.
• germination
• gibberelic acid
• flowering
• peroxidase