Time course of the changes in the level of endogenous growth regulators during the stratification of the seeds of the ‘Panenské české’ apple

Abstract

The time course of the changes in the level of endogenous growth regulators was followed during the stratification at 5 °C of the seeds of ‘Panenské české’ apples. An increase in the endogenous gibberellin activity was found already during the first and the second week of stratification which is according to it decisive for the release of dormancy in the seeds, as it precedes with the anticipation of approximately two weeks the curve of the release of dormancy in the seeds. The rise in the level of endogenous cytokinins in the seeds is belated one to two weeks behind the rise in gibberellin activity in them and thus approximately coincides with the release of dormancy. The rise in auxin level occurs approximately 4 weeks after the increase in cytokinin level. The increase in auxin level, which is accompanied by an increase in inhibitions, is apparently not connected with the release of dormancy in the seeds during the stratification.