The Effect of Various Lipids on Flowering of Pharbitis nil in in vitro Culture

The effect of applied arachidonic acid, prostaglandin (PGE₁) and various sterols and combinations of arachidonic acid + sterols, on flowering of Pharbitis nil were ascertained by using a tissue culture technique. It was found that arachidonic acid, PGE₁ stigmasterol, testosterone, cholesterol, stigmasterol + arachidonic acid, -sitosterol + arachidonic acid and cholesterol + arachidonic acid all caused earlier flowering. Four inhibitors of prostaglandin biosynthesis (gentisic acid, acetylsalicylic acid, salicylic acid and oleic acid), inhibited flowering completely. The results confirm that the compounds tested could possibly play a role in the flowering of P. nil.