Genetic and molecular bases of abscisic acid and gibberellin metabolism in regulating seed dormancy in malting barley
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Date
2018-11-29
Authors
Toora, Parneet
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Abstract
Preharvest sprouting (PHS), the germination of the grain prior to harvest under high moisture conditions, is one of the major problems for barley producers and malting industry since it causes a reduction in yield and malt quality. PHS is associated with the level of dormancy, a trait that blocks the germination of an intact viable seed under favorable environmental conditions. Reduced seed dormancy allows the seeds to germinate under suitable environmental conditions and causes PHS whereas high dormancy leads to non-uniform germination and problems in the malting process. Therefore, controlling the level of seed dormancy is important in barley to prevent PHS damage and permit uniform germination after harvest during malting. Abscisic acid (ABA), which induces dormancy, and gibberellin (GA), which induces germination, are plant hormones that act antagonistically and control the level of dormancy present in seeds and seed’s ability to germinate. The amount of these compounds in seeds is determined by their respective metabolic pathways. Therefore, this thesis project was focused on investigating the molecular bases of ABA and GA metabolism in different malting barley lines with a varying level of seed dormancy.
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Keywords
Seed dormancy, Preharvest sprouting, Barley