High-Temperature Tolerance Enhancement Successful On Tomatoes And Rice

Researchers at Kobe University Graduate School of Agricultural Science Functional Phytochemistry Laboratory in Japan have identified for the first time that the (E)-2-hexenal, otherwise known as a plant-derived chemical substance that can induce a plant's stress response from high temperatures.

Plants have high-temperature resistance that's switched off during normal conditions. During the study, researchers hypothesized that if certain chemical signals in the plants that switch the functions on could be identified, then the plants' stress response to high temperatures could be controlled artificially.

Previous research has shown that some plants' high-temperature resistance function works to switch on when oxidative treatment is applied. Researchers believed that a chemical compound that's generated through oxidation of fatty acids in plants by reactive oxygen triggers the switch. Through their experiments, the researchers identified that the (E)-2-hexenal compoundacts as a signal chemical.

Researchers examined the effects of the (E)-2-hexenal at cooperative farms and found their use effective on cucumbers, rice and tomatoes.

"Acquired thermotolerance in plants in a non-genetically modified way. It will be easier for this method to find acceptance in Japan where consumers are less accepting of genetically-modified crops," the study stated, according to a news release. "Since the (E)-2-hexenal is a plant-derived chemical substance, its use as a spray over farm produce will face little resistance from consumers."

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