Ethephon-Induced Ethylene Enhances Starch Degradation and Sucrose Transport with an Interactive Abscisic Acid-Mediated Manner in Mature Leaves of Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.)

The leaf senescence process is characterized by the degradation of macromolecules in mature leaves and the remobilization of degradation products via phloem transport. The phytohormone ethylene mediates leaf senescence. This study aimed to investigate the ethephon-induced ethylene effects on starch degradation and sucrose remobilization through their interactive regulation with other hormones. Ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid) was used as an ethylene-generating agent. Endogenous hormonal status, carbohydrate compounds, starch degradation-related gene expression, sucrose transporter gene expression, and phloem sucrose loading were compared between the ethephon-treated plants and controls. Foliar ethephon spray enhanced the endogenous ethylene concentration and accelerated leaf senescence, as evidenced by reduced chlorophyll content and enhanced expression of the senescence-related gene SAG12. Ethephon-enhanced ethylene prominently enhanced the endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) level. accompanied with upregulation of ABA synthesis gene 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED3), ABA receptor gene pyrabactin resistance 1 (PYR1), and ABA signaling genes sucrose non-fermenting 1 (Snf1)-related protein kinase 2 (SnRK2), ABA-responsive element binding 2 (AREB2), and basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor (MYC2).) Ethephon treatment decreased starch content by enhancing expression of the starch degradation-related genes α-amylase 3 (AMY3) and β-amylase 1 (BAM1), resulting in an increase in sucrose content in phloem exudates with enhanced expression of sucrose transporters, SUT1, SUT4, and SWEET11. These results suggest that a synergistic interaction between ethylene and ABA might account for sucrose accumulation, mainly due to starch degradation in mature leaves and sucrose phloem loading in the ethephon-induced senescent leaves.