FREE PROLINE ACCUMULATION IN THE LEAF TISSUES AS
AN INDICATOR OF DROUGHT-RESISTANT SUGARCANE VARIETIES

Wiwit Budi Widyasari and Eka Sugiyarta
(Indonesia Sugar Research Institute)
Jl.Pahlawan 25 Pasuruan Indonesia

ABSTRACT

Proline is rather unique among the amino acids in its accumulation during drought stress. Under drought-stressed condition, free proline content in leaf tissues increase proportionately faster than other amino acids. Within the leaves of unstressed plant, free proline contents are very small and its accumulation increases up to one hundred times than the normal, when the plant suffers from drought stress. The ability to accumulate free proline in drought-resistance varieties was significantly stronger than that of the susceptible varieties and that the reducing rate of free proline was significantly faster compared to the susceptible varieties during the post-stressed period. A tremendous free proline accumulation is one of the most dramatic physiological characteristics, so this can be used as selction criteria for drought resistant varieties.

Key words : Free-proline, drought-stress, amino acid, drought-resistant.

(Indonesian Sugar Research Journal Vol. XXXIII (1), Maret 1997 : 1-10
E-mail : mpg.p3gi@gmail.com )