Cobalt and Plant Development: Interactions with Ethylene in Hypocotyl Growth 1

Plant Physiol. 1976 June; 57(6): 886–889.

PMCID: PMC542141

Cobalt and Plant Development

Interactions with Ethylene in Hypocotyl Growth ¹

Scott Grover^a and William K. Purves^b

^aDepartment of Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024

Biochemistry and Biophysics Section, Biological Sciences Group, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06268

¹ This work was supported by National Science Foundation Grant GB-40556 to W. K. P.

This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.

Abstract

Co²⁺ promoted elongation of hypocotyl segments of light-grown cucumber (Cucumis sativus) seedlings. Time course and dose response data are presented and interactions with IAA, gibberellin, cyclohexanol, and cotyledons described. Segments without cotyledons responded to Co²⁺ only if grown in gas-tight vessels with IAA added. When bases of cotyledons were ringed with an inhibitor of auxin transport, Co²⁺ caused no growth promotion in the hypocotyl. Co²⁺ prevented lateral swelling of hypocotyls treated with supraoptimal IAA. Removal of ethylene from the atmosphere reduced the Co²⁺ response, but Co²⁺ did not counteract the inhibitory effect of increased ethylene levels. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that Co²⁺ promotes hypocotyl elongation by inhibiting ethylene production. The hypothesis was confirmed by a direct demonstration that Co²⁺, at growth-promoting concentrations, powerfully inhibited ethylene production in the cucumber hypocotyl.

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Selected References

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