Cytokinins in seeds of pumpkin

Abstract

Extracts of seeds of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo Linn.) contain three chromatographically distinguishable cytokinins which are held on Dowex 50-W and are extractable by ethanol and n-butanol. Two of the active factors are precipitable by silver nitrate at acidic pH. The chromatographic behavior and the spectral characteristics of one of these cytokinins are similar to those of zeatin. However, the R_F values of the other two active compounds do not match with those of any of the known natural cytokinins.