Distribution of endogenous gibberellins in vegetative and reproductive organs of Brassica

Abstract

Recognizing the physiological diversity of different plant organs, studies were conducted to investigate the distribution of endogenous gibberellins (GAs) in Brassica (canola or oilseed rape). GA1 and its biosynthetic precursors, GA20 and GA19, were extracted, chromatographically purified, and quantified by gas-chromatography-selected ion monitoring (GC-SIM), using [2H2]GAs as internal standards. In young (vegetative) B. napus cv. Westar plants, GA concentrations were lowest in the roots, increased acropetally along the shoot axis, and were highest in the shoot tips. GA concentrations were high but variable in leaves. GA1 concentrations also increased acropetally along the plant axis in reproductive plants. During early silique filling, GA1 concentrations were highest in siliques and progressively lower in flowers, inflorescence stalks (peduncles plus pedicels), stem, leaves, and roots. Concentrations of GA19 and GA20 showed similar patterns of distribution except in leaves, in which concentrations were higher, but variable. Immature siliques were qualitatively rich in endogenous GAs and GA1, GA3, GA4, GA8, GA9, GA17, GA19, GA20, GA24, GA29, GA34, GA51, and GA53 were identified by GC-SIM. In whole siliques, GA19, GA20, GA1, and GA8 concentrations declined during maturation due to declining levels in the maturing seeds; their concentrations in the silique coats remained relatively constant and low. These studies demonstrate that GAs are differentially distributed in Brassica with a general pattern of acropetally increasing concentration in shoots and high concentration in actively growing and developing organs.