Senescence Regulation in Leaf Discs of CA Janus Cajan L. by Amino Acids and Kinetin in Light and Dark

Amount of chlorophylls (chlorophyll a, b and total), carotenoids and protein showed a gradual decline during 6-day and light was able to minimize this loss when compared with the samples kept in dark in the leaf discs of Cajanus cajan. The effectiveness of kinetin was higher than all the selected amino acids used individually both in light and dark. Kinetin as well as serine, cysteine and arginine taken individually for the treatment and also kinetin in combination with one of these amino acids reduced the specific activities of peroxidase and protease. The effectiveness in delaying senescence was in the order of serine + kinetin > arginine + kinetin > cysteine + kinetin > serine >arginine > cysteine > buffer > control. These amino acids with kinetin reduced protease activity and leaf senescence is appreciably arrested.