Low-temperature-induced GA₃ Sensitivity of Wheat. V. Sterol Conversions in the Wheat Aleurone Tissue during Imbibition

Abstract

Sterol profiles during imbibition and low temperature preincubation of aleurone tissue from Kite (Rht 2) and F₆ Rht 3/rht 3 lines were studied. There was a dramatic disappearance of sterol derivatives during imbibition and a coincident appearance of an equivalent increment of free sterols in all three aleurone tissues. None of the preincubation conditions had any effect on the sterol content or spectrum of either the Rht-containing aleurone tissue (Kite and dwarf selection) or the non-Rht-containing aleurone tissue (tall selection). The results indicate that the sterol derivatives of the wheat aleurone tissue may serve a storage role for free sterols.