Flower Formation in Excised Tobacco Stem Segments; II. Reversible Removal of IAA Inhibition by RNA Base Analogues

Abstract

The RNA base analogues, 2-thiouracil, 6-azauracil and 8-azaguanine incorporated singly into the medium, increased the number of floral buds in excised stem segments of Nicotiana tabacum variety Wisconsin No. 38 cultured in vitro. Combined treatments with 2 and 3 base analogues were even more effective. The effects were prevented by the corresponding natural counterparts, uracil, uridine, and guanosine respectively. These nucleic acid constituents added to cultures without base analogues did not affect the number of floral buds formed. In stem segments from the lower internodes treatments with the analogues effected a transition from vegetative to floral bud formation, thus in a sense removing the floral gradient as defined by Chouard and Aghion.