Fibre length and gibberellins A1 and A20 are decreased in Eucalyptus globules by acylcyclohexanedione injected into the stem

Abstract

Trinexapacethyl (TriEt), an acylcyclohexanedionetype inhibitor of gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis, was applied to 3‐year‐old Eucalyptus globules saplings by localised injection near the base of each stem. The objective was to alter cambial region GA levels and to study the effects on secondary xylem fibre development. Seven weeks later wood samples, with bark and cambial region intact, were removed 10 and 30 cm above the point of injection. Fusiform cambial cell dimensions were compared with those of fibre‐tracheids in the most recently formed 100 um of secondary xylem. Increasing TriEt applications from 5 to 5 000 mg active ingredient significantly reduced average fibre length, and to a lesser extent average fusiform cambial cell length. Also reduced was the number of cells in the cambial zone and the number of differentiating fibres with primary walls. However, no trends were evident for changes in fibre diameter, the proportion of vessel elements or the ratio of cambial ray cells to fusiform cambial cells. Two gibberellins (GA1 and GA20), indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) were quantified in cambial region tissues by gas chromatographymass spectrometry using stable isotope labelled internal standards. Increasing TriEt application reduced both GA1 and GA20 levels. Effects on IAA and ABA were not significant, although their levels tended to be lower at the highest TriEt application rate. The elongation of secondary xylem fibres was positively correlated with higher levels of endogenous GA1 (rs= 0.74, P < 0.01) and GA20 (rs= 0.72, P < 0.01). These results support a causal role for GA1 in cambial cell division. They are also consistent with the hypothesis that the elongation of differentiating secondary xylem fibres in woody an–giosperms is dependent on GA1 levels in the cambial region.