Skip to main content
Log in

Ontogenetic variation in levels of gibberellin A1 in Pisum

Implications for the control of stem elongation

  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The levels of the biologically active gibberellin (GA), GA1, and of its precursor, GA20, were monitored at several stages during ontogeny in the apical portions of isogenic tall (Le) and dwarf (le) peas (Pisum sativum L.) using deuterated internal standards and gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring. The levels of both GAs were relatively low on emergence and on impending apical arrest. At these early and late stages of development the internodes were substantially shorter than at intermediate stages, but were capable of large responses to applied GA3. Tall plants generally contained 10–18 times more GA1 and possessed internodes 2–3 times longer than dwarf plants. Further, dwarf plants contained 3–5 times more GA20 than tall plants. No conclusive evidence for the presence of GA3 or GA5 could be obtained, even with the aid of [2H2]GA3 and [2H2]GA5 internal standards. If GA3 and GA5 were present in tall plants, their levels were less than 0.5% and 1.4% of the level of GA1, respectively. Comparison of the effects of gene le on GA1 levels and internode length with the effects of ontogeny on these variables shows that the ontogenetic variation in GA1 content was sufficient to account for much of the observed variation in internode length within the wild-type. However, evidence was also obtained for substantial differences in the potential length of different internodes even when saturating levels of exogenous GA3 were present.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

GAn :

gibberellin An

References

  • Ecklund, P.R., Moore, T.C. (1986) Quantitative changes in gibberellin and RNA correlated with senescence of the shoot apex in the “Alaska” pea. Am. J. Bot. 55, 494–503

    Google Scholar 

  • Ecklund, P.R., Moore, T.C. (1974) Correlations of growth rate and de-etiolation with rate of ent-kaurene biosynthesis in pea (Pisum sativum L.) Plant Physiol. 53, 5–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Fujioka, S., Yamane, H., Spray, C.R., Gaskin, P., MacMillan, J., Phinney, B.O., Takahashi, N. (1988 a) Qualitative and quantitative analyses of gibberellins in vegetative shoots of normal, dwarf-1, dwarf-2, dwarf-3 and dwarf-5 seedlings of Zea mays L. Plant Physiol. 88, 1367–1372

    Google Scholar 

  • Fujioka, S., Yamane, H., Spray, C.R., Katsumi, M., Phinney, B.O., Gaskin, P., MacMillan, J., Takahashi, N. (1988b) The dominant non-gibberellin-responding dwarf mutant (D8) of maize accumulates native gibberellins. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85, 9031–9035

    Google Scholar 

  • Graebe, J.A. (1987) Gibberellin biosynthesis and control. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 38, 419–465

    Google Scholar 

  • Guern, J. (1987) Regulation from within: the hormone dilemma. Ann. Bot. 60, Suppl. 4, 75–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingram, T.J., Reid, J.B., Murfet, I.C., Gaskin, P., Willis, C.L., Mac-Millan, J. (1984) Internode length in Pisum. The Le gene controls the 3β-hydroxylation of gibberellin A20 to gibberellin A1. Planta 160, 455–463

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingram, T.J., Reid, J.B., MacMillan, J. (1985) Internode length in Pisum sativum L. The kinetics of growth and [3H]gibberellin A20 metabolism in genotype na Le. Planta 164, 429–438

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingram, T.J., Reid, J.B., MacMillan, J. (1986) The quantitative relationship between gibberellin A1 and internode elongation in Pisum sativum L. Planta 168, 414–420

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, T.C. (1967) Gibberellin relationships in the “Alaska” pea (Pisum sativum). Am. J. Bot. 54, 262–269

    Google Scholar 

  • Murfet, I.C. (1988) Internode length in Pisum: variation in response to a daylength extension with incandescent light. Ann. Bot. 61, 331–345

    Google Scholar 

  • Phinney, B.O., Spray, C.R. (1990) The genetics and physiology of dwarfism in Zea mays (maize). In: Plant growth substances 1988, pp. 65–73, Pharis, R.P., Rood, S.B., eds. Springer-Verlag, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Phinney, B.O., Spray, C.R., Suzuki, Y., Gaskin, P. (1990) Gibberellin metabolism in maize: tissue specificity. In: Gibberellins, pp. 22–31, Takahashi, N., Phinney, B.O., MacMillan, J., eds. Springer-Verlag, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Potts, W.C. (1986) Gibberellins in light-grown shoots of Pisum sativum L. and the influence of reproductive development. Plant Cell Physiol. 27, 997–1003

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid, J.B. (1988) Internode length in Pisum. Comparison of genotypes in the light and dark. Physiol. Plant. 74, 83–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid, J.B. (1990) Phytohormone mutants in plant research. J. Plant Growth Regul. 9, 97–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid, J.B., Murfet, I.C. (1984) Flowering in Pisum: a fifth locus, Veg. Ann. Bot. 53, 369–382

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid, J.B., Potts, W.C. (1986) Internode length in Pisum. Two further mutants, lh and ls, with reduced gibberellin synthesis, and a gibberellin insensitive mutant, lk. Physiol. Plant. 66, 417–426

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid, J.B., Hasan, O., Ross, J.J. (1990) Internode length in Pisum. Gibberellins and the response to far-red-rich light. J. Plant. Physiol. 137, 46–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid, J.B., Ross, J.J., Hasan, O. (1991) Internode length in Pisum. Gene lkc. J. Plant Growth Regul. 10, 11–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Rood, S.B., Pearce, D., Williams, P.H., Pharis, R.P. (1989) A gibberellin-deficient Brassica mutant-rosette. Plant. Physiol. 89, 482–487

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross, J.J., Reid, J.B., Gaskin, P., MacMillan, J. (1989) Internode length in Pisum. Estimation of GA1 levels in genotypes Le, le and le d. Physiol. Plant. 76, 173–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Sponsel, V.M. (1986) Gibberellins in dark-and red-light-grown shoots of dwarf and tall cultivars of Pisum sativum: The quantification, metabolism and biological activity of gibberellins in Progress No. 9 and Alaska. Planta 168, 119–129

    Google Scholar 

  • Trewavas, A.J. (1982) Growth substance sensitivity: The limiting factor in plant development. Physiol. Plant. 55, 60–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Trewavas, A.J. (1987) Sensitivity and sensory adaptation in growth substance responses. In: Hormone action in plant devcelopment — a critical appraisal, pp. 19–38, Hoad, G.V., Lenton, J.R., Jackson, M.B., Atkin, R.K., eds. Butterworths, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Trewavas, A.J., Cleland, R.E. (1983) Is plant development regulated by changes in the concentration of growth substances or by changes in the sensitivity to growth substances? Trends Biochem. Sci. 8, 354–357

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

We thank Noel Davies, Omar Hasan, Leigh Johnson, Katherine McPherson and Naomi Lawrence for technical help, Professor L. Mander (Australian National University, Canberra) for deuterated GA standards and the Australian Research Council for financial assistance.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ross, J.J., Reid, J.B. & Dungey, H.S. Ontogenetic variation in levels of gibberellin A1 in Pisum . Planta 186, 166–171 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00196245

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00196245

Key words

Navigation