Anatomical and hormonal factors determining the development of haploid and zygotic embryos of oat (Avena sativa L.)

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 548 - 13
• Main Authors: Dziurka, Kinga, Dziurka, Michał, Muszyńska, Ewa, Czyczyło-Mysza, Ilona, Warchoł, Marzena, Juzoń, Katarzyna, Laskoś, Kamila, Skrzypek, Edyta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 11-01-2022; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/449/2653; 631/449/2653/2087; AKT protein; Anatomy; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - metabolism; Auxins; Avena - genetics; Avena - growth & development; Avena - metabolism; Avena sativa; Cultivars; Cytokinins; Cytokinins - metabolism; Developmental stages; Embryogenesis; Embryonic growth stage; Embryos; Germination; Gibberellins; Gibberellins - metabolism; Haploidy; Hormones; Humanities and Social Sciences; Indoleacetic Acids - metabolism; Molecular weight; multidisciplinary; Plant Growth Regulators - metabolism; Reactive oxygen species; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Seeds - genetics; Seeds - growth & development; Seeds - metabolism; Zygote - metabolism
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04522-y

A critical step in the production of doubled haploids is a conversion of the haploid embryos into plants. Our study aimed to recognize the reasons for the low germination rate of
Avena sativa
haploid embryos obtained by distant crossing with maize. Oat cultivars of ‘Krezus’ and ‘Akt’ were investigated regarding embryo anatomy, the endogenous phytohormone profiles, and antioxidant capacity. The zygotic embryos of oat were used as a reference. It was found that twenty-one days old haploid embryos were smaller and had a less advanced structure than zygotic ones. Morphology and anatomy modifications of haploid embryos were accompanied by extremely low levels of endogenous auxins. Higher levels of cytokinins, as well as tenfold higher cytokinin to auxin ratio in haploid than in zygotic embryos, may suggest an earlier stage of development of these former. Individual gibberellins reached higher values in ‘Akt’ haploid embryos than in the respective zygotic ones, while the differences in both types of ‘Krezus’ embryos were not noticed. Additionally to the hormonal regulation of haploid embryogenesis, the poor germination of oat haploid embryos can be a result of the overproduction of reactive oxygen species, and therefore higher levels of low molecular weight antioxidants and stress hormones.