Isolation, Purification, and Characterization of an Endogenous Root-promoting Factor Obtained from Basal Sections of Pear Hardwood Cuttings

Polar transport and accumulation of indole-3-acetic acid during root regeneration by Pinus lambertiana embryos

The relation of indoleacetic acid (IAA) transport to accumulation of auxin at the base of cuttings and to polar root formation was investigated with small cuttings from germinating embryos of Pinus lambertiana.The transport of endogenous auxin participates in regeneration of roots. This is shown by the facts that (1) more than 40% of the cuttings rooted without addition of exogenous indoleacetic acid; (2) the first regeneration always occurred at the basal tip of a slanting cut; and (3) 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA), a specific inhibitor of auxin transport, totally inhibited rooting. Addition of IAA to the medium increased the number of roots formed per rooting hypocotyl.Sections of hypocotyls excised from dormant embryos and tested immediately after 2 h hydration were capable of polar transport of IAA. This polarity increased during the first 3 days of culture because of a marked increase in basipetal transport. Culturing the cuttings in 1 μM IAA for 3-5 days doubled both the basipetal transport of 1-(14)C-IAA by hypocotyl segments and the accumulation of radioactivity at the base of cuttings.The extent of the accumulation at the base of cuttings was similar at early (2 days, first mitoses) and late stages (5 days, organized meristem) of regeneration and was not affected by removal of the regenerating region immediately prior to uptake and transport of (14)C-IAA. The accumulation was inhibited by TIBA. In terms of increase in wet and dry weight and mitotic activity, the cotyledons rather than the regenerating root meristems were the most actively growing region of the cuttings. The upper part of the hypocotyl elongated more than the region of the slanting cut where regeneration was occurring.These results provide no support for the idea that the regenerating root controls the direction of polar transport by acting as a sink. The results are consistent with the view that polar auxin transport delivers auxin to the base of the cutting and raises the local concentration to levels sufficient to promote root formation.

[Characterization of root initiation and root senescence in callus- and organ-cultures of Daucus carota through determination of the specific activity of the glutamate-dehydrogenase (NAD)]

In callus tissues of Daucus carota rhizogenesis was influenced by addition to the cultures of solutions with different kinetin concentrations (0-0.1-0.5-2 mg/l) and a constant auxin content (1 mg/l). In these cultures the specific activity of glutamate-dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.4.1.2.), aspartate-aminotransferase (E.C. 2.6.1.1.), isocitrate-dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.1.42) and of acid phosphatase (E.C. 3.1.3.2.) was determined. Before root initiation can be seen morphologically in tissues grown on low kinetin concentrations, the specific activity of glutamate-dehydrogenase increases to more than three times the level found in cultures with no subsequent root initiation, whereas the specific activity of the other three enzymes changes far less. Total soluble protein measured as percentage of fresh weight remains nearly the same in all callus cultures. The activity of the same enzymes was measured in liquid grown roots of Daucus carota during a period of ageing of 130 days. During this time, the specific activity of glutamate-dehydrogenase is reduced to 1/10 of the value found in growing roots, whereas the activity of the other three enzymes is reduced only to 1/2 or to 1/3 of this value. Therefore, the state of senescence and the capacity for further growth can be characterized by the specific activity of the glutamate-dehydrogenase in the roots. The changes in the specific activity of glutamate-dehydrogenase in callus tissue and in the roots do not depend on inhibitory substances in the cell-free extracts.

Abscisic-acid-stimulated rooting of stem cuttings

Abscisic acid (ABA) has been found to stimulate rooting of stem cuttings of mung beans and English ivy. ABA partially overcame the inhibitory effect of gibberellic acid on root formation of mung bean cuttings but at the concentrations used did not overcome the inhibitory effect of kinetin on root formation.