Fermentation metabolism in roots of wheat seedlings after hypoxic pre-treatment in different anoxic incubation systems

A hypoxic pre-treatment (HPT) can improve the anoxic survival of flooding sensitive plants. Here, we tested whether a 4-d HPT of wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.) would improve their anoxic resistance, and if so, why. We found that the metabolic adjustment during prolonged HPT involved an increased lactate excretion rate, the up-regulation of glycolytic and fermentative enzymes as well as the accumulation of various sugars. Therefore, HPT wheat roots could sustain a 3 times higher ethanolic fermentation rate during an anoxic period compared to non-pre-treated (NHPT) roots. Nevertheless, the enhanced fermentation rate provided temporary relief to the energy crisis only, and both NHPT and HPT plants died after 5 d of anoxia in illumination. Comparison of different low oxygen incubation systems using excised roots or roots of intact plants revealed striking differences. The benefits of intact shoots, oxygen transport as well as additional sugar supply enabled a more stable energy supply of anoxia-treated NHPT and HPT roots. However, the height of the fermentation rate was correlated with a high ATP content during dark anoxic incubation, but not in illumination.