Phototropism in Hypocotyls of Radish

Abstract

When etiolated radish (Raphanus sativus var. hortensis f. gigantissimus Makino) hypocotyls were subjected to a continuous unilateral illumination with white fluorescent light (0.1 watt per square meter), the growth rate at the lighted side was strongly inhibited for the first 2 hours, while that at the shaded side showed no change. After 2.5 hours growth on the lighted side recovered gradually, while that on the shaded side was slightly inhibited. The neutral growth inhibitors, cis- and trans-raphanusanins and raphanusamide, were determined in the lighted and shaded sides from 1 hour before until 2 hours after the start of unilateral illumination. In the lighted side, cis- and trans-raphanusanins increased by 0.5 hour after the start of illumination, reached 3 to 3.5-fold greater concentrations than in the shaded side after 1 hour, and then decreased gradually. Raphanusamide increased in the lighted side to a 3-fold greater concentration than that in the shaded one 2 hours after the start of the illumination. Unilateral applications of cis- and trans-raphanusanins and raphanusamide suppressed the growth of the hypocotyl on the applied side more than that on the opposite one, causing the hypocotyls to bend towards the site of application. The data suggest that phototropic curvature in radish is caused by the light-induced synthesis of growth-inhibiting cis- and trans-raphanusanins, and raphanusamide at the site of illumination.