Regulation of Bud Rest in Tubers of Potato, Solanum tuberosum L

Abstract

Using the electron microscope, we compared the effects of abscisic acid and gibberellin A₃ on excised buds from resting potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers. Cells of abscisic acid-treated buds became progressively more vacuolated during a 12-hour time course study as compared with control (water) and gibberellin A₃-treated buds. Concentric configurations of endoplasmic reticulum were present in apical cells of freshly excised buds. After about 6 hours these configurations began to open and disperse, and after 12 hours, intact concentric configurations were no longer evident. Both abscisic acid and gibberellin A₃ induced opening and dispersal of the concentric configurations, sometimes as early as 0.5 hour after excision and treatment with hormones.