Effect of glutathione and alloxan on the photoperiodic response of Xanthium.

Abstract

IT has been recently reported by Brachet1 that a morphogenetic process in the alga Acetabularia is promoted by a substance containing —SS— and that the same process is inhibited by substances containing —SH. It appeared of interest, therefore, to test the morphogenetic responses of higher plants to substances containing thiol groups. For this purpose the effect of reduced glutathione on the process of floral induction in Xanthium, a short-day plant, was investigated. Alloxan, on the other hand, was chosen as an agent known to reduce rapidly the content of reduced glutathione of blood by both oxidation and coupling reactions2,3.