Enhancement by Low pH of Gibberellin Effects on Dormant Celery Seeds and Embryoless Half‐Seeds of Barley

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Abstract
The action of gibberellins on celery (Apium graveolens L.) seed germination and the release of reducing sugars from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seed endosperm were enhanced by decreasing the pH of the incubation solution to below the pKa point. In most cases, low pH was obtained by mixing the solution with weak acids such as succinic acid 2.2 dimethylhydrazide (SADH), 2‐chloroethylphosphonic acid (CEPA), or citric acid. However, lowering the pH of the gibberellin solution with strong acid (HCl) also increased markedly the activity of low concentrations of GA4/7. The synergistic action of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) with gibberellin was not dependent on the pH level of the incubation solution. The response of celery seeds to gibberellins was increased when their distal ends were removed: solution pH and EDTA had no effect on this response.The possible explanations of the synergism between low pH compounds and gibberellins are discussed.