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Regulation of Medicago sativa L. somatic embryos regeneration by gibberellin A3 and abscisic acid in relation to starch content and α-amylase activity

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Abstract

Somatic embryo quality is an important factor decisive for the efficiency of somatic embryogenesis. Addition gibberellic acid (GA3) at a concentration of 1 μM to germination medium improved the regeneration of alfalfa somatic embryos. Inhibitory effect of ancymidol, an inhibitor of gibberellin biosynthesis, on germination and conversion may indicate that those processes require endogenous GAs. Since fluridone, an ABA biosynthetic inhibitor, at a concentration of 1 μM, had a slight stimulatory effect on germination of somatic embryos, it may be presumed that embryos contain a too high level of residual ABA after maturation phase (20 μM ABA is used at that phase). The observed improvement of regeneration of somatic embryos by GA3 was correlated with acceleration of starch hydrolysis through α-amylase activity enhancement by GA3. In contrast, the inhibitory effect of ABA on the above processes was probably related to inhibition of α-amylase activity and, in consequence, to delayed starch hydrolysis. It is suggested that α-amylase activity can be considered a good marker of the quality of Medicago sativa L. somatic embryos.

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Abbreviations

ABA:

Abscisic acid

GA3 :

Gibberellic acid

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Acknowledgement

We are indebted to Dr Teresa Radziejewska for linguistic assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chair of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Department of Plant Biotechnology, University of Szczecin, Wąska 13, 71 415, Szczecin, Poland

    Ewa Kępczyńska & Sylwia Zielińska

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  1. Ewa Kępczyńska
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  2. Sylwia Zielińska
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Correspondence to Ewa Kępczyńska.

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Kępczyńska, E., Zielińska, S. Regulation of Medicago sativa L. somatic embryos regeneration by gibberellin A3 and abscisic acid in relation to starch content and α-amylase activity. Plant Growth Regul 49, 209–217 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-006-9106-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-006-9106-6

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