EFFECTS OF SYNTHETIC CYTOKININS ON LEVELS OF ENDOGENOUS CYTOKININS AND RESPIRATION PATTERNS OF BETA-VULGARIS CELLS IN SUSPENSION

Respiration patterns and growth of cytokinin-dependent cell suspensions of Beta vulgaris L., precultured in media with or without three different synthetic cytokinins [benzyladenine (BA), kinetin (KIN), and thidiazuron (TDA)], were compared. The content of endogenous cytokinins, especially zeatin and isopentenyladenine, as well as the dry mass yield, were dependent on the kind of synthetic cytokinin present in the culture medium and decreased in the following order: thidiazuron, kinetin, benzyladenine, no cytokinin. The apparent capacity of the alternative pathway, as measured after blocking of the cytochrome pathway by cyanide, was inversely proportional to the content of endogenous cytokinins, Some synthetic cytokinins (e.g., benzyladenine), when exogenously applied, are known to inhibit selectively the alternative pathway. However, this does not necessarily imply that the mechanism of action of endogenous cytokinins on the respiration pattern is limited to a single effect on the alternative pathway. Multiple effects on oxidative processes cannot be excluded.