The effect of the inhibitors of protein and nucleic acid synthesis on the coumarin-induced tuberization and growth of excised axillary shoots of potato sprquts (Solanum tuberosum l.) culturedin vitro

Abstract

The inhibitors of protein and nucleic acid synthesis; chloramphenicol, para-fluorophenylalanine, actinomycin D, and 5-fluorouracil were evaluated for their effectiveness in inhibiting coumarin-induced tuberization, tuber growth, and the inhibition of.root and shoot growth of excised axillary shoots of potato sprouts culturedin vitro. To date, it has been demonstrated that both kinetin and coumarin readily effect 100 percent tuberization of the shoots culturedin vitro. The results of the present study demonstrate that with the exception of 5-fluorouracil, the inhibitors significantly inhibited the coumarin-induced. tuberization, tuber growth, and root growth whereas in previously published data by Palmer and Smith (6), the inhibitors merely delayed kinetin-induced tuberization. It is suggested that both protein and nucleic acid synthesis are required for the coumarin-induced tuberization processes, and the mode of action of coumarin is distinctly different from that of kinetin.