Ultrastructural and biophysical changes in developing embryos of Aesculus hippocastanum in relation to the acquisition of tolerance to drying

Changes in ultrastructural, biochemical and biophysical characteristics of embryonic axes of Aesculus hippocastanum during development are related to changing levels of desiccation tolerance. Histodifferentiation was complete 30 days after flowering (DAF) and fruits were shed about 120 DAF. During this period, the dry mass of embryonic axes increased from about 0.5 to 4 mg and the water content decreased from 10.2 to 2.0 g H2O g(-1) dry mass (g g(-1)). In spite of the large changes in water content, water potentials of freshly harvested material declined slightly during development from -0.65 to -2.0 MPa. Tolerance of desiccation increased as embryos matured. If evaluated on the basis of critical water contents for survival; tolerance appeared to increase continuously, maximum tolerance being achieved at 120 DAF when embryos survived water contents as low as 0.30 g . g(-1). When evaluated from critical water potentials, three distinct levels of desiccation tolerance could be recognized at - 1.8 MPa (30-40 DAF), -4 MPa (48-90 DAF) and -12 MPa (100-120 DAF). During development, total dry matter increased while sugar content (g g(-1) dry mass) and osmotically active material (mmol g(-1) dry mass) decreased. The subcellular organisation of axes was always typical of metabolically active tissues. Maximum tolerance (-12 MPa) was associated with a reduced amount of monosaccharides and the appearance of water with unusual calorimetric behaviour. Our data are consistent with several of the current hypotheses regarding the mechanisms of desiccation tolerance. Accumulation of dry matter reserves, reduced levels of monosaccharides, presence of dehydrin-like proteins and ability to form glasses appear to be associated with the changes in desiccation tolerance. However, none of these factors allow A. hippocastanum embryos to achieve the extreme level of desiccation tolerance typical of orthodox seeds. This may be because A. hippocastanum embryos do not reach physiological maturity and remain metabolically active even after they are shed from the parent plant. Also, embryos may acquire incompetent protectants or lack as yet unidentified protective mechanisms.