Gibberellic acid-induced prolongation of the dormancy in tubers or rhizomes of several species of East Asian Dioscorea

Effects of the application of gibberellic acid on sprouting of tubers or rhizomes were tested in seven species of the genus Dioscorea that are native to the temperate regions of East Asia. The lowest concentrations for significant inhibition of sprouting in these species varied from 0.1–1 µM Application of gibberellic acid at 100 µM inhibited sprouting for more than 500 days at 20 °C. Some responses to the application of gibberellic acid differed between species and between sections of the genus. In D. japonica, the application of gibberellic acid inhibited sprouting of tubers and bulbils while it promoted seed germination.