Ethylene production benzyladenine

When subjected to drought stress, excised wheat Triticum aestivum L.) leaves increase ethylene production as a result of an increased synthesis of ACC 71 and an increased activity of the ethylene-forming enzyme (EFE) which catalyzes the conversion of ACC 71 to ethylene. Rehydratation to relieve water stress reduces EFE activity to levels similar to those in non-stressed tissue. Pretreatment of the leaves with N-benzyladenine (BA) 75 or indole-3-acetic acid lAA 76 prior to drought stress caused further increase in ethylene production. Conversely, pretreatment of wheat leaves with abscisic acid ABA 77 reduced ethylene production to levels of non-stressed leaves, accompanied by a decrease in ACC 71 content, Eq. (29). 

In light-grown hypocotyls of dwarf watermelon seedlings benzyladenine (BA) enhances ethylene production and promotes cell elongation (Loy and Pollard 1977). Prevention of BA-induced ethylene production prevents BA-induced elongation, an indication that ethylene is necessary for BA-induced growth promotion. 

Kohler K-H, Dorfler M, Goring H (1980) The influence of light on the cytokinin content of Amaranthus seedlings. Biol Plant 22 128-134 Kondo K, Watanable A, Imaseki H (1975) Relationships in actions of indoleacetic acid, benzyladenine and abscisic acid in ethylene production. Plant Cell Physiol 16 1001-1007... 

Cytokinins probably play a role in sex expression. It may be that in certain monecious species cytokinins are below a critical level for differentiation of perfect flowers. Topical applications of cytokinin to a known staminate flowered grapevine 3 weeks before anthesis induced the plant to produce perfect flowers (Negi and Olmo 1966). An additional example is to be found in the production of male flowers by Mercurialis annua following treatment with cytokinins (Durand 1969). Furthermore, soaking of Luff a acutangula seed in a N-benzyladenine solution promoted early pistillate flower production (Bose and Nitsch 1970). In this connection it may be important to note that cytokinins have been reported to induce ethylene formation in plant tissues (Fuchs and Lieberman 1968). 

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