Transport and metabolism of indole-3-butyric acid in cuttings ofLeucadendron discolor

✍ Scribed by E. Epstein; A. Ackerman

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 402 KB
• Volume: 12
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0167-6903
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00144577

✦ Synopsis

indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) greatly enhanced the rooting of an early-flowering variety of protea, Leucadendron discolor, but had very little effect on a late-flowering variety . IBA transport and metabolism were studied in both varieties after incubating the cuttings in 'H-IBA . More of the radio-label was transported to the leaves of the easy-to-root variety than the difficult-to-root (35-45% and 10%, respectively) . IBA was metabolized rapidly by the cuttings of both varieties and after 24 h most of the label was in the new metabolite . However, free IBA (about 10%) was present in the cuttings during the whole period up to the time of root emergence (4 weeks) . More free IBA was accumulated in the base of easy-to-root cuttings, while in the difficult-to-root variety most of the IBA was found in the leaves . The metabolite was identified tentatively as an ester conjugate with a glucose . It is possible that IBA-glucose serves as a source for free IBA, and the difference between the varieties is a consequence of the free IBA which is released, transported and accumulated in the site of a root formation .