Gibberellins in immature seeds and dark-grown shoots of Pisum sativum : Gibberellins identified in the tall cultivar Alaska in comparison with those in the dwarf Progress No. 9.

Gibberellins (GAs) A17, A19, A20, A29, A44, 2βOH-GA44 (tentative) and GA29-catabolite were identified in 21-day-old seeds of Pisum sativum cv. Alaska (tall). These GAs are qualitatively similar to those in the dwarf cultivar Progress No. 9 with the exception of GA19 which does not accumulate in Progress seeds. There was no evidence for the presence of 3-hydroxylated GAs in 21 day-old Alaska seeds. Dark-grown shoots of the cultivar Alaska contein GA1, GA8, GA20, GA29, GA8-catabolite and GA29-catabolite. Dark-grown shoots of the cultivar Progress No.9 contain GA8, GA20, GA29 and GA29-catabolite, and the presence of GA1 was strongly indicated. Quantitation using GAs labelled with stable isotope showed the level of GA1 in dark-grown shoots of the two cultivars to be almost identical, whilst the levels of GA20, GA29 and GA29-catabolite were significantly lower in Alaska than in Progress No. 9. The levels of these GAs in dark-grown shoots were 10(2)- to 10(3)-fold less than the levels in developing seeds. The 2-epimer of GA29 is present in dark-grown-shoot extracts of both cultivars and is not thought to be an artefact.