Effects of Growth Regulators on the Induction of Anthocyanin Synthesis in Carrot Suspension Cultures

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Abstract
The effects of plant growth regulators were investigated on anthocyanin synthesis induced by removing auxin from carrot suspension cultures. Of the auxins tested, 2,4-D showed the strongest inhibiting effect on anthocyanin synthesis and had the strongest promoting effect on undifferentiated growth. When 2,4-D was added to anthocyanin synthesizing cells, in which cell division had ceased, anthocyanin synthesis was repressed immediately, accumulated anthocyanin disappeared and cell division resumed. All cytokinins examined promoted anthocyanin synthesis in the absence of auxin. Both gibberellic acid (GA3) and abscisic acid inhibited anthocyanin synthesis in media lacking 2,4-D, though GA3 showed no effect on cell division. These effects of growth regulators on anthocyanin synthesis are similar to those reported for their effects on embryogenesis [Fujimura and Komamine (1975) Plant Sci. Lett. 5: 359, (1979) Z. Pflanzenphysiol. 95: 13, (1980) Z. PJlanzenphysiol. 99: 1]. The relationship between the induction of anthocyanin synthesis, metabolic differentiation, and embryogenesis are discussed.