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Role of endogenous gibberellins in germination of melon (Cucumis melo) seeds
Author(s) -
Edelstein Menahem,
Ben Tal Yossi,
Wodner Maria,
Kigel Jaime
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.1995.tb00816.x
Subject(s) - gibberellin , germination , cucumis , melon , biology , fractionation , horticulture , botany , chemistry , chromatography
The effect of the plant growth retardants ancymidol. mefluidide and uniconazole on germination of two melon accessions differing in their ability to germinate at 14°C was examined. The accessions were the cold sensitive Noy Yizre'el and the cold tolerant Persia 202. The three growth retardants were able to delay the germination of intact Noy Yizre'el seeds, but did not affect that of intact Persia 202 seeds. On the other hand germination of decoated seeds of both accessions was unaffected by these inhibitors at normal oxygen concentration, but was inhibited at 5% oxygen. When gibberellin‐like activity was measured by a dwarf rice biological assay following HPLC fractionation, it was found that seeds of Persia 202 contained much more gibberellin‐like activity than Noy Yizre'el seeds. Among the extracted compounds several endogenous gibberellins were identified by combined gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). They included GA 4 , GA 20 , GA 1 and GA 3 in Noy Yizre'el and GA 34 , GA 20 , GA 1 and GA 8 in Persia 202. It is suggested that the better germination of intact Persia 202 seeds, compared to Noy Yizre'el seeds at low temperature and low oxygen concentration, is due to a higher endogenous level of GA and a better seed coat permeability to oxygen.