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Kinetin regulates plant growth and biochemical changes during maturation and senescence of leaves, flowers, and pods of Cajanus cajan L.

  • Original Papers
  • Published:
Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

Aspects of plant growth such as height, branch number, leaf number, leaf area, pod area, 100-seed mass, etc., were correlated with biochemical changes such as contents of chlorophyll (Chl), proteins, DNA, and RNA, and protease activity during development and senescent phases in leaves, flowers, and pods of Cajanus cajan L. cv. UPAS-120 after treatments with kinetin (Kn). A significant increase was noticed in branch number, leaf number, leaf area, and seed mass while other growth processes registered a small increase after Kn application. Effectiveness of 5 µM Kn was also noticed in minimizing the loss of Chls, proteins, and nucleic acids as well as reducing the protease activity during maturity and senescence. Chl a/b ratio maintained a high value up to 30-d followed by a decline in leaves while flowers registered much lower ratio at 20-d-age. Pods were unique in having relatively lower ratio of Chl a/b in comparison to leaves.

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Abbreviations

BA:

benzyladenine

Chl:

chlorophyll

CK:

cytokinin

Kn:

kinetin (Kn0, Kn1, Kn2, and Kn3-kinetin 0, 5, 50 and 500 µM, respectively)

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  1. Department of Botany, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, 136119, India

    D. Mukherjee & R. Kumar

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  1. D. Mukherjee
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  2. R. Kumar
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Correspondence to D. Mukherjee.

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Mukherjee, D., Kumar, R. Kinetin regulates plant growth and biochemical changes during maturation and senescence of leaves, flowers, and pods of Cajanus cajan L.. Biol Plant 51, 80–85 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-007-0016-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-007-0016-x

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