Corn Journal
  • Corn Journal
  • Author
  • Stalk Rot Booklet
  • Seed Testing
  • Corn Genetics
  • Pathology
  • Sponsors
  • Contact
"You can see a lot by just looking"-Yogi Berra

Corn seedling cell walls

5/11/2017

 
​The first appearance of corn seedling tissue emerging from the imbibed seed is the new root.  This young seedling primary root can be considered as three regions: meristem, elongation and mature. The cell elongation area provides the main initial force for pushing through the kernel pericarp. Cell elongation and maturation involves production of many new molecules composing the cell walls as they grow. The pectins, hemicelluloses and celluloses that compose the new cell walls are composed of several sugar-related molecules joined together through specific reactions, assisted by enzymes, heat energy and chemical energy such as from ATP. 
 
Energy and components for the biosynthesis of these cell wall components comes mostly from the endosperm. Starch in the endosperm is broken down with enzymes into sucrose molecules, moved to root cell cytoplasm where other enzymes break down the sucrose into glucose and fructose.  With other enzymatic action, the fructose is made into more glucose.  Modification of these sugars allows other new carbohydrate based molecules that become linked to form the more complex polysaccharides such as pectin, hemicellulose and cellulose for the new cell walls.
 
We see what looks like a rather simple process- seed swells, root protrude and a few days later the stem emerges from the seed.  What we don’t see is a complex utilization of stored energy, production of complex proteins some of which act as enzymes assisting in linking molecules together and thus giving outer strength to cells. Also, unseen is production of anti-microbial compounds to ward off the many organisms attracted to the very molecules stored and manufactured in the seed.  We don’t witness the genetics that programs for these processes.  Humans successfully selected for these features from a wild plant species, adapting it to worldwide growing environments.  The complexity of corn seed germination still can be challenged in a cold, wet spring such as being experienced in the 2017 central U.S.A. spring, but it is amazing that these processes work even under tough environments

Comments are closed.

    About Corn Journal

    The purpose of this blog is to share perspectives of the biology of corn, its seed and diseases in a mix of technical and not so technical terms with all who are interested in this major crop. With more technical references to any of the topics easily available on the web with a search of key words, the blog will rarely cite references but will attempt to be accurate. Comments are welcome but will be screened before publishing. Comments and questions directed to the author by emails are encouraged.

    Archives

    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

© COPYRIGHT 2023. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
  • Corn Journal
  • Author
  • Stalk Rot Booklet
  • Seed Testing
  • Corn Genetics
  • Pathology
  • Sponsors
  • Contact