Merits and drawbacks of new aromatic cytokinins in plant tissue culture

The choice of a cytokinin can make the difference between success and failure in the micropropagation system of a plant species. Cytokinins show stimulatory and inhibitory effects during all kinds of developmental processes such as root inhibition, shoot branching, shoot induction and senescence. Natural cytokinins are N6-substituted purine derivatives which can be classified by the configuration of their N6-side chain as isoprenoid or aromatic cytokinins. In the early years of cytokinin research, only cytokinins with an isoprenoid side chain were thought to be endogenous compounds; however BA derivatives were identified as natural cytokinins. Also the hydroxylated forms of BA, meta- and ortho-topolin, occur naturally, just like their methoxy derivatives and corresponding 9-ribosides. Later fluoro derivatives were synthesized and likewise tested in bioassays and various micropropagation systems. In this lecture, an overview is given of the merits and drawbacks of these new aromatic cytokinins in tissue culture. Own research results and that of colleagues will be discussed. The conclusion is that the new aromatic cytokinin compounds are useful additional tools that might solve particular problems in tissue culture of a number of plant species.

ISBN:9789066053960

Publication year:2010

IOF-keylabel:yes

Accessibility:Closed