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Exposure of Petunia Seedlings to Ethylene Decreased Apical Dominance by Reducing the Ratio of Auxin to Cytokinin

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Abstract

Seedlings of Petunia x hybrida ‘Orchid’ treated with the ethylene-releasing compound ethephon at 0.9, 1.7, and 3.5 mM evolved ethylene at a higher rate as the concentration of ethephon increased. Regardless of the concentration of ethephon applied, ethylene evolution peaked 6 to 8 h following application. Evidence that ethephon application decreased apical dominance included an increase in the number of new nodes on the main stem and a sustained increase in the length of new and existing lateral shoots compared to the control (no ethephon). Plants treated with 3.5 mM ethephon developed mild chlorosis, whereas a concentration of 1.7 mM ethephon decreased apical dominance without phytotoxic effects. The auxin/cytokinin ratio decreased in the apical shoot section as early as 1 h after ethephon treatment. In contrast, a decrease in the ratio in the subapical shoot section was not detected until 24 h after ethephon application. Reduction in auxin/cytokinin ratio was a result of a decrease in indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and an increase of zeatin riboside (ZR), but not isopentenyladenosine (iPA). These results suggest that exposing ‘Orchid’ petunia seedlings to ethylene via ethephon lowers the auxin/cytokinin ratio, thereby promoting the outgrowth of lateral shoots.

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Acknowledgements

This paper represents a portion of the dissertation submitted by D.L. Haver in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Ph.D. in Botany at the University of California.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany & Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, 92521-0124, California, USA

    Darren L. Haver & Carol J. Lovatt

  2. Department of Plant Sciences, University Arizona, Tucson, 85721-0036, Arizona, USA

    Ursula K. Schuch

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  1. Darren L. Haver
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  2. Ursula K. Schuch
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Correspondence to Darren L. Haver.

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Haver, D.L., Schuch, U.K. & Lovatt, C.J. Exposure of Petunia Seedlings to Ethylene Decreased Apical Dominance by Reducing the Ratio of Auxin to Cytokinin . J Plant Growth Regul 21, 459–468 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-002-0022-3

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