CCC-Induced increase of gibberellin levels in pea seedlings

Summary Pea seedlings (cv. Alaska), were treated with two concentrations of (2-chloroethyl)trimethylammonium chloride (CCC) and choline chloride. Treatment with 1 mg/l CCC resulted in as much as a 150fold increase in endogenous gibberellin (GA) levels without there being any parallel stimulation of growth. Plants grown in 1,000 mg/l CCC were severely dwarfed but contained GA levels not significantly different from control plants grown in distilled water. CCC also retarded GA₃-induced growth of pea seedlings. These effects appear to be CCC specific as the CCC analogue choline chloride affected neither the GA content of pea seedlings nor their response to GA₃. The lack of correlation between endogenous GA levels and stem height suggests that in peas the predominant factor in CCC-induced inhibition of stem growth is not related to an effect of CCC on GA biosynthesis.Supported by National Research Council (Canada) grant A-5727.Supported by a Postdoctoral Fellowship from NRC Grant A-2585 to R.P. Pharis.