ABSTRACT
Low temperature stress enhances ethylene production of chilling-sensitive plants which do not normally produce significant amounts of ethylene. The mechanism of this chilling-induced ethylene production can now be better understood since the biosynthetic pathway of ethylene has become better elucidated. However, because of their diversity, various plant tissues respond differently to chilling stress. The production of chilling-induced ethylene is affected by several inhibitors. Aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) reduces 1-aminocyclo-propane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) accumulation and inhibits C2H4 production in chilled cucumber skin tissues. In the presence of cycloheximide, both ACC accumulation and ethylene production from exogenous ACC in chilled cucumber skin tissue were inhibited. This indicates that continuous protein synthesis is required for the operation of this pathway during chilling stress. In some tissues, stimulation of ACC synthesis and ethylene production did not occur until after the chilled tissues were transferred to a warmer nonchilling temperature.
