Drought-stimulated activity of plasma membrane nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase and its catalytic properties in rice.

The activity of plasma membrane (PM) nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase and its catalytic properties in rice was investigated under drought stress conditions. Drought stress led to decreased leaf relative water content (RWC) and, as a result of drought-induced oxidative stress, the activities of antioxidant enzymes increased significantly. More interestingly, the intensity of applied water stress was correlated with increased production of H2O2 and O2 (-) and elevated activity of PM NADPH oxidase, a key enzyme of reactive oxygen species generation in plants.

Anatomical and chemical alterations but not photosynthetic dynamics and apoplastic transport changes are involved in the brittleness culm mutation of rice.

Brittleness culm is an important agronomic trait that has a potential usefulness in agricultural activity as animal forage although the developmental mechanism is not clear yet. In the present study, the anatomical and chemical characteristics as well as some ecophysiological features in the brittleness culm mutation of rice (Oryza sativa L.) were investigated.