Transmission of acquired adjustments to salinity in Sorghum bicolor

Previous studies showed that exposure of eight-day-old Sorghum bicolor for three weeks to sublethal salinity induces an increase in salinity tolerance, called physiological adaptation (A). During A, plants of a same population differ in reaction and tolerance to salinity. Tolerance levels of the reaction types depend on environmental conditions besides salinity. Reactions observed most frequently in an experiment have generally highest tolerance levels. This phenomenon is defined adaptive determinism (AD). In this study, the relationship between a potential source of the information subjacent to AD and AD itself is analysed in plants first exposed to salt-inducing A. When the reaction types are close variations of one reaction mode, AD is highest. This relationship is inversed in progeny of adapted plants. Results suggest that information relevant to AD is transmitted to the progeny of adapted plants, and that adaptive information is created during A in plants first exposed to adaptation inducing treatment.