Chilling-induced chlorosis in maize (Zea mays)

The effect of chilling temperatures on the porphyrin pathway leading to chlorophyll was studied in Seneca Chief hybrid sweet corn. One-week-old seedlings grown at 28 °C in a 14 h light: 10 h dark photoperiod synthesize negligible amounts of chlorophyll when exposed to 12 °C for a subsequent 6 d. When the chilled plant is then brought back to 28 °C, chlorophyll synthesis is restored to control levels. Little difference in carotenoid content was detected between chill-stressed and control tissue even after 4 d of stress. Small differences in the chlorophyll content per 106 chloroplasts could be detected between stressed and control seedlings. Etiolated seedlings synthesize negligible amounts of chlorophyll or its precursors when illuminated at 12 °C. Incubation of tissue with aminolevulinic acid at various temperatures from 12 to 22 °C resulted in an accumulation of precursors comparable to 28 °C control tissue. The ability of etiolated tissue to accumulate aminolevulinic acid was negligible when illuminated at 12 °C as compared with that in tissue illuminated at 28 °C.