Protective Effect of Artificially Enhanced Level of L-Ascorbic Acid against Water Deficit-Induced Oxidative Stress in Rice Seedlings

Effects of the enhanced level of L-ascorbic acid (AA) on the water deficit-induced oxidative damage were studied in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings. The seedlings sprayed with 20 to 80 mM L-galactono-${\gamma}$-lactone (GL), a putative precursor of AA, showed 2 to 5-fold higher levels of AA compared with controls. Pretreatment of the seedlings with GL prior to water stress imposition caused virtually no effect on dehydration of tissues during water deficit but substantially mitigated oxidative injury, as accessed by 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, ${\alpha}$-tocopherol, chlorophylls and ${\beta}$-carotene. Proline accumulation during water stress was also significantly lowered in the treated seedlings. In a complementary experiment, AA retarded photodegradation of ${\alpha}$-tocopherol in isolated thylakoids far more efficiently than glutathione. GL in itself did not show any noticeable reactivity toward ${\alpha}$-tocopheroxyl radical. The results demonstrate the antioxidative function of AA in rice seedlings encountering water-limited environments, suggesting a critical role of AA as a defense against oxidative stress in plants.