Strongly reduced levels of endogenous abscisic acid in developing seeds of tomato mutant sitiens do not influence in vivo accumulation of dry matter and storage proteins

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Abstract
The role of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) in seed development was studied with the use of the ABA‐deficient sitw (sitiens) mutant of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Moneymaker). The sitw mutation causes a strong reduction of the endogenous ABA level in the developing seed. Reciprocal crosses of wild‐type and the sitw mutant show a dual origin of ABA. The genotype of the mother plant regulates the ABA content present in the testa, which shows a peak half‐way through seed development. The genotype of the embryo and endosperm is responsible for a second ABA fraction, present in these tissues. This second fraction reaches its peak during the second half of seed development. The strong reduction of endogenous ABA level in the developing sitw/sitw seed does not change the final fresh and dry weights of the seed nor the accumulation and composition of storage proteins.