Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of kinetin and related compounds on growth and sexual reproduction of Saprolegnia australis

  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

An isolate of Saprolegnia australis grew readily and produced abundant sex organs on a chemically defined medium. The optimal temperature for growth was higher (25°) than the optimal temperature for sexual reproduction (20°). Addition of the purines, adenine and hypoxanthine to the medium stimulated production of oogonia while addition of kinetin and 6-benzylaminopurine inhibited this process. When kinetin and adenine were added together, the two purines interacted in affecting oogonial production, and adenine overcame the inhibitory action of kinetin. It is suggested that purines may play some specific role in the synthesis of one or more of the hormones which probably initiate sexual reproduction in S. australis and that kinetin and 6-benzylaminopurine may inhibit hormone synthesis. Two other growth regulators of higher plants, indol-3-ylacetic acid and gibberellic acid, did not affect development of the fungus. No evidence was found to suggest that S. australis was producing any substance with cytokinin activity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barksdale, A. W.: Effect of nutritional deficiency on growth and sexual reproduction of Achlya ambisexualis. Amer. J. Bot. 49, 633–638 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  • Chee, K. H., and F. J. Newhook: Variability in sexual reproduction of Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands. N. Z. J. agric. Res. 8, 947–950 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliott, R.F.: Morphological variation in New Zealand Saprolegniaceae. I. Achlya caroliniana Coker and A. flagellata Coker. N. Z. J. Bot., in press (a).

  • Elliott, R. F. II. Saprolegnia terrestris Cookson and S. australis sp. nov. N. Z. J. Bot., in press (b).

  • Gruen, H. E.: Auxins and fungi. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 10, 405–440 (1959).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hawker, L. E.: The physiology of reproduction in fungi. Cambridge: Univ. Press 1957.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, B. O.: Effects of kinetin on the fertility of some strains of Neurospora crassa. Nature (Lond.) 192, 288 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • Letham, D. S.: Regulators of cell division in plant tissue I. Inhibitors and stimulants of cell division in developing fruits; their properties and activity in relation to the cell division period. N. Z. J. Bot. 1, 336–350 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  • —: II. A cytokinin in plant extracts: isolation and interaction with other growth regulators. Phytochemistry 5, 269–286 (1966).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raper, J. R.: Sexual hormones in Achlya VII. The hormonal mechanism in homothallic species. Bot. Gaz. 112, 1–24 (1950).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robbins, W. J., and F. Kavanagh: Guanine and factor Z, growth substances for Phycomyces. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 28, 4–8 (1942a).

    Google Scholar 

  • ——: Hypoxanthine, a growth factor of Phycomyces. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 28, 65–69 (1942b).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sommer, N. F.: Production by Taphrina deformans of substances stimulating cell elongation and division. Physiol. Plantarum (Copenh.) 14, 460–469 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stowe, B. B., and T. Yamaki: The history and physiological action of the gibberellins. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 8, 181–216 (1957).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Street, H. E., M. P. McGonagle, and S. M. McGregor: Observations on the “staling” of White's medium by excised tomato roots. II. Iron availability. Physiol. Plantarum (Copenh.) 5, 248–276 (1952).

    Google Scholar 

  • Torrey, J. G.: Auxin and purine interactions in lateral root initiation in isolated pea root segments. Physiol. Plantarum (Copenh.) 15, 177–185 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Elliott, R.F. Effects of kinetin and related compounds on growth and sexual reproduction of Saprolegnia australis . Planta 77, 164–175 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00387453

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00387453

Keywords

Navigation