INFLUENCE OF ADENINE, ISOPENTYL ALCOHOL AND AZOTOBACTER-CHROOCOCCUM ON THE GROWTH OF RAPHANUS-SATIVUS

The effect of adenine (ADE), isopentyl alcohol (IA) and a cytokinin-producing bacterium, Azotobacter chroococcum, on the morphological plant characteristics of Raphanus sativus (radish) was studied in sand under axenic-inoculated conditions and in soil under glasshouse and field conditions. The application of the combination of 0.2 mg kg-1 ADE, 13 mg kg-1 IA plus the inoculum enhanced the dry weight of root and shoot tissues, leaf area and chlorophyll a content, to a much greater degree than when in the presence of the cytokinin precursors (ADE or IA) or the bacterium alone. Enhanced plant growth observed under axenic conditions upon the addition of ADE and IA indicated that the plant has the ability to assimilate and utilize ADE and IA for growth and metabolism. While the addition of the inoculum without precursors was also stimulatory, greater enhancement of plant growth was observed following the application of ADE, IA and A. chroococcum together being attributed primarily to the increase in microbial production of cytokinins within the rhizosphere. © 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers.