Enzyme activity and electrophoretic pattern of isoenzymes of amylase, catalase and peroxidase in photo- and gibberellin-induced plants of Impatiens balsamina L. var. rose

Abstract

Floral buds were induced either by 8 h photoperiods or by the application of GA₃ and GA₁₃ in Impatiens balsamina. Total enzyme activity was not directly related to floral morphogenesis although some interesting qualitative correlations existed. Thus, the presence of a new isoenzyme of amylase (R_F 0·05) may be related to flower formation since it was present only in the induced plants and not in the vegetative ones, regardless of whether the flowering was caused by inductive photoperiods or by gibberellin treatment. Catalase activity, as well as its isoenzyme forms, could not be detected in the stem and the isoenzyme profile in leaves did not alter with photoperiodic or gibberellin treatment. Treatment with gibberellins induced the synthesis of new isoenzymes of peroxidase but inductive photoperiods did not. The enzyme profiles in relation to photoperiod and gibberellin application are discussed.