Apical Dominance in the ‘Rogue’ Tomato

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Abstract
The rogue tomato exhibits less apical dominance than the normal plant though the degree of correlative inhibition varies considerably between winter- and summer-sown plants. An examination of the level of endogenous hormones in both rogue and normal plants at both times of year indicates that the degree of branching is strongly associated with the levels of auxin in the tissue. It is suggested that this hormone has an effect on apical dominance by virtue of its role in hormone-directed transport and by its effect on the formation of abscisic acid in the region of the lateral buds. The results are discussed in relation to current hypotheses of the mechanism of apical dominance.