Hormones and Apical Dominance in the FernDavallia

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Abstract
Lateral buds of the fern Davallia trichomanoides are released from inhibition by the removal of the main shoot apex. However, auxin is not capable of substituting for the apex in decapitated shoots nor can auxin in shoot tips be detected by bioassay or extraction and chromatography. Expanding leaves of this species contain auxin, but these organs are not responsible for inhibition of lateral bud growth. The response of lateral buds to an exogenously applied cytokinin does not result in initial bud break. It is concluded that the hormonal factors known to govern apical dominance in seed plants are not responsible for the regulation of differential bud expansion in this fern.