Flowering in sugarcane is influenced by a number of plant and environmental factors. Among the plant factors, the growth hormones play a vital role in production of floral stimulus. The endogenous levels of gibberellins (GA3) was analyzed in the shoot apices of flowered and non-flowered stalks of sugarcane varieties Bo 91, Co 86249, Co 1148 and Co C 671 at the end of the flowering season using HPLC. In sugarcane shoot apices, the gibberellic acid (GA) recorded a prominent peak at the retention time of 6.4 min. Data on endogenous gibberellin-like substances showed significant variations between the flowered and non-flowered stalks as well as varieties. The shoot apices of flowered stalks contained 25 to 45% higher endogenous GA level in the four varieties studied.
Flowering, gibberellic acid, shoot apex, sugarcane
