Nobuo Chonan

Effect of BCB (bromocholine bromide) on the Growth, Cell Division, and Cell Elongation in Some Crop Plants

The effects of BCB on the growth, cell division, and cell elongation of wheat, lowland rice, potato, and tobacco plants were studied. Treatment was consisted of one application of 250 ml of BCB solution at the concentration from 10-2 M to 10-4 M, poured into the soil of each 1/5000 are Wagners pot. In the wheat, the leaf length was shortened and the leaf color became greener by BCB-treatment. Except the case of 10-2M concentration, the mumber of tillers increased and the emergence of tillers and leaves was accelerated in the treated plants. In the lowland rice seedlings, the growth of leaves, unless being sowed thickly, was not affected by BCB-treatment so much as wheat, but the number of tillers increased and the emergence of tillers and leaves was accelerated after transplantation. The stem elongation of potato was inhibited and more lateral shootings, greener and crapier leaves were observed in case of soil or seed treatment. But the horizontal development of leaves scarcely decreased, and the wet weight of the top or leaves increased slightly. In the tobacco seedlings, the growth of stem and leaves was affected like that of potato and the leaf development was hastened by applying BCB solution at 1/5×10-2M. From histological observation on the treated plants, it was attributed to the inhibition of cell division and cell elongation that the leaf area and stem length were reduced by BCB-treatment. The ability of cell devision in the subapical meristem of tobacco stems treated with BCB was lowered, and the length of subapical meristematic zone was shortened like that of chrysanthemum treated with Amo-1618.