Changes in cell wall-bound phenolic acids in the internodes of submerged floating rice

Submergence induces rapid elongation of internodes in floating rice (Oryza sativa L.). We examined the distributions of p-coumaric, ferulic and 5-5-coupled diferulic acids ester-linked to cell walls along the axis of highest internodes of submerged and air-grown floating rice stem segments. The amounts of ferulic and 5-5-diferulic acids per cell wall weight were lowest around the intercalary meristem, and increased as the distance from the meristematic zone increased toward the upper part of the internode in both air-grown and submerged stem segments. The ratio of 5-5-diferulic acid to ferulic acid also increased toward the upper, old parts of internodes in both air-grown and submerged stem segments. These observations suggest that the feruloylation of cell wall polysaccharides and the formation of diferulic acids contribute to the cessation of internodal cell elongation and that the formation of diferulic acids in cell walls is controlled by the coupling reaction in addition to the feruloylation. The amounts of p-coumaric acid per unit length and per cell-wall weight were markedly low in the newly elongated region of submerged internodes, and closely correlated with cell-wall dry mass in both air-grown and submerged internodes, suggesting that the deposition of p-coumaric acid in cell walls is related to the formation of secondary cell walls in floating rice internodes.