Chilling Resistance as Affected by Stressing Environments and Abscisic Acid

Abstract

Three-day-old cucumber seedlings (Cucumis sativus L) were exposed to chilling temperatures of 2 ± 1 C for 24 h. Necrosis in the cotyledons and reduction of vegetative growth of both root and shoot became evident 6 days later Increased resistance to chilling, as indicated by the extent of overall reduction in chilling damages, was obtained through pretreatments: application of abscisic acid to the seedlings, withholding of water from the seedlings, and salinization of the root medium. We concluded that abscisic acid, either applied to the seedlings or induced to increase by exposure to water shortage, was involved in the development of chilling resistance in cucumber seedlings