Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Phenylacetic acid-induced somatic embryogenesis in cultured hypocotyl explants of geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum Bailey)

  • Published:
Plant Cell Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The effect of a non-indole compound, phenylacetic acid (PAA), on the induction of somatic embryogenesis in tissue cultures of geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum Bailey cv. Scarlet Orbit Improved) was investigated. Hypocotyl explants derived from young, dark-grown seedlings were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium (MS) supplemented with PAA or IAA (0.01–120 μM) alone or in combination with BAP (8 μM). Somatic embryogenesis was induced by both PAA and IAA at 0.01–20 μM with 8 μM BAP, however, the optima differed considerably for the two compounds. Maximal activity of IAA for somatic embryogenesis was found at 0.1–2.5 μM, whereas PAA gave best results at 10 and 20 μM under identical culture conditions. Higher concentrations (30–120 μM) of IAA or PAA in the medium induced callusing in the explants, but the callus was neither embryogenic nor morphogenic.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

BAP:

N6-benzylaminopurine

IAA:

indole-3-acetic acid

MS:

Murashige and Skoog (1962)

PAA:

phenylacetic acid

References

  • Abe H, Uchiyama M, Sato R (1974) Isolation of phenylacetic acid and its p-hydroxy derivative as auxin-like substances from Undaria pinnatifida. Agric Biol Chem 38:897–898

    Google Scholar 

  • Isogai Y, Okamoto T, Koizumi T (1967) Plant growth regulators. I. Isolation of indole-3-acetamide, 2-phenyl-acetamide, and indole-3 carboxaldehyde from etiolated seedlings of Phaseolus. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 15:151–158

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson CF, Morris DA (1987) Regulation of auxin transport in pea (Pisum sativum L.) by phenylacetic acid: Effects on the components of transmembrane transport of indol-3yl-acetic acid. Planta 172:400–407

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee TT, Skoog F (1965) Effects of substituted phenols on bud formation and growth of tobacco tissue cultures. Physiol Plant 18:386–402

    Google Scholar 

  • Leuba V, LeTourneau D (1990) Auxin activity of phenylacetic acid in tissue culture. J Plant Growth Regul 9:71–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsolais AA, Wilson DPM, Tsujita MJ (1991) Somatic embryogenesis and artificial seed production in Zonal (Pelargonium xhortorum) and Regal (P. x domesticum) geranium. Can J Bot 69:1188–1193

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris DA, Johnson CF (1987) Regulation of auxin transport in pea (Pisum sativum L.) by phenylacetic acid: Inhibition of polar auxin transport in intact plants and stem segments. Planta 172:408–416

    Google Scholar 

  • Milborrow BV, Purse JG, Wightman F (1975) On the auxin activity of phenylacetic acid. Ann Bot 39:1143–1146

    Google Scholar 

  • Murashige T, Skoog F (1962) A revised medium for rapid growth and bio assays with tobacco tissue cultures. Physiol Plant 15:473–497

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider EA, Wightman F (1986) Auxins on non-flowering plants. I. Occurrence of 3-indoleacetic acid and phenylacetic acid in vegetative and fertile fronds of the ostrich fern (Matteucia struthiopteris). Physiol Plant 68:396–402

    Google Scholar 

  • Skoog F, Miller CO (1957) Chemical regulation of growth and organ formation in plant tissues cultured in vitro. In Vitro Symposium, Soc Exp Biol 11:118–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Small DK, Morris DA (1990) Promotion of elongation and acid invertase activity in Phaseolus vulgaris L. internode segments by phenylacetic acid. Plant Growth Regl 9:329–340

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler AW (1977) Auxin-like growth activity of phenylacetonitrile. Ann Bot 41:867–872

    Google Scholar 

  • Wightman F, Schneider EA, Thimann KV (1980) Hormonal factors controlling the initiation and development of lateral roots II. Effects of exogenous growth factors on lateral root formation in pea roots. Physiol Plant 49:304–314

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson DPM (1990) Somatic embryogenesis in Pelargonium x domesticum Bailey and P. x hortorum Bailey. M.Sc. Thesis, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Horticultural Science, University of Guelph, N1G 2W1, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

    Tannis Slimmon, Javed A. Qureshi & Praveen K. Saxena

Authors
  1. Tannis Slimmon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Javed A. Qureshi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Praveen K. Saxena
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by F. Constabel

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Slimmon, T., Qureshi, J.A. & Saxena, P.K. Phenylacetic acid-induced somatic embryogenesis in cultured hypocotyl explants of geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum Bailey). Plant Cell Reports 10, 587–589 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00232517

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00232517

Keywords

Search

Navigation