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Pak. J. Bot., 48(3): 1119-1127, 2016.

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GA4 AND tZR QUANTIFICATION IN PISTILLATE AND STAMINATE  PLANTS OF DASYLIRION CEDROSANUM

ERIKA NOHEMI RIVAS-MARTÍNEZ¹, RAHIM FOROUGHBAKCHK POURNAVAB¹, M. HUMBERTO REYES-VALDÉS² AND ADALBERTO BENAVIDES-MENDOZA^3*

Abstract: ‘Sotol’, a protected designation of origin alcoholic beverage, is obtained from Dasylirion cedrosanum spp. plants. There is little knowledge concerning the sexual differentiation mechanisms of this species, which leads to a lack of proposals for not only its conservation and reforestation but also mechanisms to account for the dioecious nature of the plant. Phytohormones have been associated with sexual differentiation in dioecious plants because, individually or in combination, these hormones promote masculinization or feminization of their sexual structures. The objective of this study was to quantify gibberellin A4 (GA4) and trans-zeatin riboside (tZR) levels in samples of different organs of staminate and pistillate plants of D. cedrosanum, which were collected at different stages of floral development. The plant material was obtained at three locations in Coahuila at North Mexico. Gibberellin A4 (GA4) and trans-zeatin riboside (tZR) were quantified by HPLC-UV at 205 nm and 268 nm, respectively. During the later appearance of pollen and seeds, the GA4 levels in the crown and leaves were the same but exceeded those in the inflorescence. There were no differences in tZR levels between the plants of different sexes. Among organs, differences were only found during inflorescence emergence and death, stages during which the crown presented the highest levels of tZR. The results for the GA4/tZR ratio were similar to those reported for GA4. GA4 most likely plays a role in sexual determination in D. cedrosanum because its presence is associated with the appearance of staminate flowers.

Key words: Cytokinins, Gibberellins, Phytohormones, Sexual differentiation, Sotol
 

¹Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Departamento de Botánica, Av. Pedro de Alba, s/n, cruz con Av. Manuel L. Barragán, CP. 66450, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, México

²Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Departamento de Fitomejoramiento, Calzada Antonio Narro, # 1923, Col. Buenavista CP. 25315, Saltillo, Coahuila, México

³Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Departamento de Horticultura, Calzada Antonio Narro, No. 1923, Col. Buenavista CP. 25315, Saltillo, Coahuila, México

^*Corresponding author’s e-mail: abenmen@gmail.com