NYCTINASTENES - AN APPROACH TO NEW PHYTOHORMONES

A plant responds to an irritation by releasing irritants which may assist the organism endogenously in an intrinsic defence reaction. Only very small energy changes perceived by sensitive plants are sufficient to induce a series of physiological processes ultimately manifested as leaf movement. The chemonastic active compounds of sleeping and sensitive plants - the Leaf MovementFactors Factors LMF - are factors only in a stimulation chain that definitely also comprises amino acids and possibly even an inhibitor,D-pinitol. The active fraction from Acacia karroo characterized by the Fitting-Hesse-Schildknecht-test with the sensitive plant Mimosa pudica L. contains, besides the three Leaf Movement Factors K-LMF 1, 2 and 3, the Periodic Leaf Movement Factors K-PLMF 1 and 2. The assigned structure of these new phytohormones with the name Unyctinastenes” was confirmed by syntheses. The K-PLMF 1 is the 4-0–[3,5-Dihydroxybenzoic acid]ß-D-glucosid-6’-sulfate. © 2013, Walter de Gruyter. All rights reserved.