Identification and quantitation of indole-3-acetic and abscisic acids in the cambial region of Quercus robur by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A technique is described for the rapid purification of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) from small quantities of the basal trunk cambial region tissues of 34-year-old trees of Quercus robur L. Mass spectra of IAA and ABA obtained from the purified extracts provide the first reported unequivocal identification of endogenous IAA and ABA in the cambial region of a hardwood species. By use of the combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry technique of multiple ion monitoring, with deuterated analogs as internal standards, it was shown that the levels of IAA in the cambial region tissues varied from similar to 1 to similar to 20 mu g g(-1) and those of ABA from similar to 1 to similar to 5 mu g g(-1) dry weight during the growing season. The high levels of IAA are similar to those found in the newly differentiating xylem tissues of softwoods.