Extracellular superoxide production associated with secondary root growth following desiccation of Pisum sativum seedlings.

The seedling stage is arguably the most vulnerable phase in the plant life cycle, where the young establishing plant is extremely sensitive to environmental stresses such as drought. Here, the production of superoxide (O(2)(-)), a molecule involved in stress signaling, was measured in response to desiccation of Pisum sativum L. seedlings. Following desiccation that was sufficient to kill the radicle meristem, viability could be retained by seedlings that grew secondary roots. Upon rehydration, secondary roots formed in a region that had displayed intense extracellular O(2)(-)production on desiccation. Treating partially desiccated seedlings with hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) prevented viability loss. In summary, reactive oxygen species (ROS) appear to participate in the signaling required for secondary root formation following desiccation stress of P. sativum seedlings.