Submergence acclimation to low-temperature stress in rice roots

A low temperature (10 degrees C, 48 h) inhibited primary root growth of rice seedlings (Oryza saliva L.). However, the inhibition was significantly mitigated by submergence for 24 h before the exposure to low temperatures, which induced alcohol dehydrogenase and increased the ethanol concentration in roots. Exogenous application of ethanol also had a similar mitigating effect. These results suggest that submergence pretreatment increases the tolerance to low temperature in rice roots due to ethanol accumulation in the roots.