1. Cell Division. 2. Cell Enlargement. 3. Morphogenesis. 4. Counteraction of apical dominance. 5. Breaking of seed dormancy. 6. Delay of senescence. 7. Promotion of chloroplast development. Cytokinins synthesis We lead
• Roots are the principal source of cytokinins.
• Usually transported to the leaf through xylem.
o Proof - if roots are removed, the leaves will
quickly undergo senescence. CYTOKININS We lead
• Have also been isolated from algae, mosses,
ferns & conifers.
• Derivatives of the nitrogenous base adenine.
+ Isoprene related side chain**, or
+ Aromatic (cyclic) side chain. **
Kinetin (N6-furfuryl adenine) was the 1st
molecule to be discovered; synthetic cytokinin.
Zeatin: most widespread NATURALLY
occurring cytokinin in higher plant and in some bacteria. CYTOKININS We lead
(1) Stimulate Cell Division ++ AUXIN, to stimulate
cell division, or cytokinesis in tissue culture. (e.g., Tobacco pith callus, carrot root tissue, soybean cotyledon, pea callus etc.)
(2) Induce Cell Enlargement. Like Auxin & Gibberellins,
the cytokinins may also induce cell enlargement.
(3) Morphogenesis. Cause morphogenetic changes in
an otherwise undifferentiated callus. E.g.,
• High auxin + low kinetin = roots
• Low auxin + high kinetin = buds Typically, a tiny circular DNA strand in the cytoplasm of a bacterium or protozoan.
We lead
+ Auxin + Cytokinin + Auxin
CYTOKININS We lead
(3) Morphogenesis. Cause morphogenetic
changes in an otherwise undifferentiated callus. Example:
• High auxin + low kinetin = roots
• Low auxin + high kinetin = buds CYTOKININS We lead
(4) Counteraction of apical
dominance.
Initiate growth of lateral buds.
e.g., Vigorous production of lateral buds of tobacco
plants.
Where wild-type tobacco plants show strong apical
dominance. Cytokinins—bud development • Cytokinin promotes growth of axillary buds
• Exogenous cytokinin & auxin: antagonistic in their effects on axillary
bud growth CYTOKININS We lead
(5) Breaking of seed dormancy.
Dormancy of light sensitive seeds (e.g., lettuce &
tobacco) - can be broken by kinetin treatment in dark.
Like gibberellins.
Cytokinin Promotes Cotyledon Greening by Repressing the Inhibitory
Effect of ABA. Seed development and subsequent germination are regulated by several phytohormones, of which ABA promotes seed dormancy and inhibits seed germination. CYTOKININS We lead
(6) Delay of senescence.
The ageing process of leaves = senescence.
Accompanies with loss of chlorophyll &
breakdown of protein.
The Richmond-Lang effect.
CYTOKININS We lead
(7) Promotion of chloroplast development.
Stimulates chlorophyll synthesis.
Retard loss of chlorophyll from detached leaves.
e.g., kinetin exerts chloroplast development
(ultrastructure, biosynthesis & photosynthesis). Tobacco plants (Nicotiana tobacum) have been transformed with the Agrobacterium gene for cytokinin biosynthesis, designated TMR (Figure 20.8). We lead The Agrobacterium TMR gene encodes for the enzyme isopentenyl transferase, which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in cytokinin biosynthesis. In this case, the TMR gene was linked to a heat shock promoter. CYTOKININS We lead
• Some plant pathogenic bacteria, nematodes &
insects:
o Secrete cytokinins or
o Induce plant cells to biosynthesize
cytokinins & other growth hormones. ABSCISIC ACID (ABA) Abscisic Acid (ABA) We lead
• A substance strongly antagonistic to plant growth.
• Isolated from young cotton fruits - named
Abscisin II, later changed to Abscisic acid (ABA).
• Unlike the previous 3 hormone classes,
abscisic acid is a single compound. Abscisic Acid (ABA) We lead Abscisic Acid (ABA): ROLES We lead
1. Causing stomata closure in plants undergoing water-
stress. 2. Increase in root: shoot ratio at low water potentials. 3. Regulating seed germination – Inducing seed dormancy requires stratification (exposure to low temp. for germination). Antagonize the cytokinins. 4. Antagonizes the promotion effect of gibberellin on alpha- amylase synthesis (during germination of cereal grains). 5. Inducing bud dormancy – in some temperate zone trees 6. Senescence of leaves. 7. Inducing storage protein synthesis, 8. Increase the resistance of temperate zone plants to frost injury. ABA—drought resistance We lead
• Abscisic acid is the key internal signal that
facilitates drought resistance in plants.
o Under water stress conditions, ABA
accumulates in leaves & causes stomata to close rapidly, reducing transpiration & preventing further water loss.
o The simultaneous osmotic loss of water leads
to a decrease in guard cell turgor, with consequent closure of stomata Stomatal opening We lead We lead We lead ETHYLENE Ethylene We lead
• Simple hydrocarbon gas; H2C=CH2.
• NOT required for normal vegetative growth, although it can
have a significant impact on the development of roots & shoots.
• Synthesize primarily in response to stress.
• May be produced in large amounts by tissues undergoing
senescence or ripening.
• Commonly used to enhance ripening in bananas & other
fruits; picked green for shipment. Ethylene We lead
• Frequently produced when high [auxins] are
supplied to plant tissues, wounding, water stress.
• Inhibitory responses to exogenously applied auxin
- due to auxin-stimulated ethylene release.
• Occurs in all plant organs: roots, stems, leaves,
bulbs, tubers, fruits, seeds, flowers etc.
• Production is frequently located in peripheral
tissues. Physiological Effects of Ethylene We lead
• Fruit ripening.
• Plumular hook formation - shoot apex is usually bent like a
hook. This hook shape is advantageous to seedlings for penetration through the soil, protecting the tender apical growing point from being injured.
• Flowering - ethylene is known to inhibit flowering in plants.
• However, in pineapples & its allies (Family Bromeliaceae) &
also mango, it induces flowering.
• Commercially used to synchronize flowering & fruit set in
pineapple. Senescence in carnation We lead Physiological Effects of Ethylene We lead
• Formation of adventitious roots and root hairs.
• Causes leaf epinasty in tomato & other dicot e.g.,
potato, pea & sunflower.
• Leaf epinasty - when upper side (adaxial side) of
the petiole of the leaf grows faster than the lower side (abaxial side) → the leaf curves downward.
• Young leaves are more sensitive than the older
leaves; monocot do not exhibit this response. We lead
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2016.10.002 Commercial uses of ethylene We lead
