Growth and Development of Arabidopsis thaliana Under Hypobaric Conditions

Carbohydrate contents of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds during seed development under hypobaric conditions were examined in order to characterize the mechanism of low pressure-induced seed damage, and to determine critical pressures for seed development under low total and/or low oxygen partial pressures. We analyzed contents of starch, sucrose, glucose, and fructose in seeds at different developmental stages at 101 kPa total pressure with 21 kPa O₂ partial pressure (control conditions), and at various low pressure conditions (23 kPa P_tot/21 kPa pO₂, 101 kPa P_tot/2 kPa pO₂, 53 kPa P_tot/2 kPa pO₂, 23 kPa P_tot/2 kPa pO₂, and 12 kPa P_tot/2 kPa pO₂). Our results indicate that maintaining an adequate oxygen partial pressure inside the siliques is necessary for seed production under hypobaric conditions.