Ethanol synthesis and loss from flooded roots of Medicago sativa L. and Lotus corniculatus L.

Field flooding of established alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) for up to 12 d resulted in a significant increase in alcohol dehydrogenase activity (ADH) and an increase in the Km of ADH in both species. Root concentration of ethanol increased throughout the flooding regime in alfalfa roots. No ethanol was detected in any trefoil root samples. Alfalfa plants which had shoots removed 5 d prior to flooding accumulated significantly higher levels of root ethanol and showed flooding injury sooner, indicating a significant effect of shoots on development of flooding injury. Alfalfa and trefoil plants grown in the greenhouse were flooded and ethanol in the transpiration effluent was trapped and measured. Alfalfa transpired measurable quantities of ethanol which peaked just prior to development of shoot injury symptoms. No ethanol was detected in the transpiration effluent from trefoil shoots. Flooded roots of both alfalfa and trefoil excreted ethanol but alfalfa roots synthesized more total ethanol and retained a larger proportion in the roots than did trefoil. While the ethanol accumulation response in alfalfa and trefoil are consistent with the ethanol ‘self‐poisoning’ hypothesis of flooding injury, the very small quantities of ethanol found in these roots still raises questions as to its absolute effect in the plant.