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Effect of gibberellic acid on ACC content, EFE activity and ethylene release by floral parts of the senescing carnation flower

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Abstract

The application of gibberellic acid via the stem of intact preclimacteric carnation flowers inhibited the climacteric surge of ethylene evolution by the flowers. Gibberellic acid also inhibited the rate of ethylene production by all individual floral parts during both the early preclimacteric (low basal level of ethylene production) and the later climacteric stages of flower development. The extent of inhibition did however, vary from one floral part to another. The most pronounced inhibition was recorded in the petal bases between the preclimacteric and senescing stages. This suggests that the petal base is an important regulatory site for ethylene production and therefore may be involved in controlling the onset and degree of petal inrolling. In all floral parts endogenous levels of ACC were reduced with GA3 treatment, being more pronounced in the petal bases. The potential of the flowers to convert applied ACC to ethylene was not deminished by gibberellic acid.

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Abbreviations

GA3 :

gibberellic acid

ACC:

1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid

EFE:

ethylene forming enzyme

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UN/FRD Research Unit for Plant Growth and Development, Department of Botany, University of Natal, 3200, Pietermaritzburg, Republic of South Africa

    Y. Saks & J. Van Staden

Authors
  1. Y. Saks
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  2. J. Van Staden
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Saks, Y., Van Staden, J. Effect of gibberellic acid on ACC content, EFE activity and ethylene release by floral parts of the senescing carnation flower. Plant Growth Regul 12, 99–104 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00144589

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00144589

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