Xanthoxin: A Growth Inhibitor in Light-grown Sunflower Seedlings, Helianthus annuus L.

Methanol extracts from light- and dark-grown sunflower seedlings,Helianthus annuus L., var. ‘Inra No. 6501’, weresubjected to solvent partition. The neutral diethyl ether fractionfrom the light-grown seedlings contained material(s) which inhibitedcress seed germination. Such inhibition was scarcely detectablein extracts of the etiolated seedlings. Sometimes inhibitionalso occurred in the petroleum spirit fraction. A mixture ofcis, trans- and trans, transxanthoxin showed the same partitioncharacteristics as the inhibiting substance(s); the latter co-chromatographedwith xanthoxin in all paper, thin layer, and high pressure liquidchromatography separation procedures tried. The inhibition wasalso detectable with the Avena colcoptile straight growth bioassay. It is concluded that xanthoxin is formed during illuminationof sunflower seedlings; its role in the phototropic responseof these seedlings is discussed.