THE EFFECT OF ALUMINUM ON THE CYTOKININS IN THE MYCELIA OF LACTARIUS-PIPERATUS

The effect of aluminium on the endogenous cytokinins in the mycelium of Lactarius piperatus, whose growth is stimulated by this ion, was investigated. Based on co-elution with standards by HPLC, retention by anti-cytokinin antibody columns, and by the Amaranthus bioassay, five cytokinins were detected: zeatin, dihydrozeatin, zeatin riboside, dihydrozeatin riboside and isopentenyladenine. No significant change in total cytokinin activity was found in the mycelia treated with 0.1 and 1 mM aluminium. Treatment with 10 mM aluminium resulted in an increase in cytokinins largely due to zeatin and isopentenyladenine. At the same time the relative amounts of dihydrozeatin and zeatin riboside decreased. Isopentenyladenine seemed to be the most affected by aluminium stress as its increase was observed even at lower concentrations of aluminium treatment. The results are compared with previous investigations of aluminium effects on mycorrhizal fungi.