Regulation of Silicon Deposition in Avena Internodal Epidermis by Gibberellic Acid and Sucrose

The accumulation of silicon was studied in Avena intercalary-meristemstem-segments treated in GA₃, sucrose, GA₃+sucrose, and water. Electron-probe analysis was used for the detection of silicon.GA³ and sucrose, together and separately, appear to inhibitthe accumulation of silicon in the silica cells which are thespecific sites for silicon deposition. The results suggest thatsucrose and gibberellin may play a role in regulating the silicificationprocess in developing internodes.