Changes during development in the compartmentalization patterns of extractable gibberellin-like substances in 'single' and 'double' genotypes of Nigella damascena

Abstract

The 'double'-flowered and 'single'-flowered genotypes of Nigella damascena possess different levels and compartmentalization profiles of the methanol-extractable acidic-ethyl-acetate-soluble (AES) and highly water-soluble (HWS) gibberellins. 'Single' tissues at all stages possess less total gibberellin than the 'double' tissues. At flowering, 'double' tissue contains 20 to 30 times (500 μg/kg fresh weight) the levels of seedling tissue and 10 to 20 times the levels of 'single' flower tissue. Seedlings of both forms possess AES and HWS gibberellins at about equal levels. However, at flowering, virtually all methanol-extractable gibberellins of the 'double' are located in the AES extract and the 'single' flower bud possesses essentially all HWS gibberellins.