GROWTH INHIBITING SUBSTANCES FROM PEACH ROOTS AND THEIR POSSIBLE INVOLVEMENT IN PEACH REPLANT PROBLEMS

Growth inhibitors which have properties of condensed tannin were extracted from peach roots and their effect on the activity of -cyanoalanine synthase was investigated.
A positive correlation was found among the condensed tannin content, the growth inhibiting activity and the inhibition of -cyanoalanine synthase activity in the fractions of extract.
Column chromatographic separation also showed that fractions containing high condensed tannin content reduced the growth of rice seedlings and suppressed the activity of -cyanoalanine synthase.
One of the purified condensed tannins, which is a biflavanol, also inhibited the activity of -cyanoalanine synthase activity.
Suppression of the activity of -cyanoalanine synthase in peach roots will lead to the disturbance of normal cyanide metabolism, resulting in the accumulation of hydrogen cyanide in the tissues.
Thus replanted peach trees may be adversely affected by the inhibitors through such mechanisms.
However, there is no direct evidence at present that free cyanide is accumulated in replanted trees.

Workshop on Replant Problems with Fruit Trees

F. Mizutani, R. Hirota, K. Kadoya

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1988.233.6