Transport and metabolism of [2(14)-C]abscisic acid in maize root.

The tips of intact maize (cv. LG 11) roots, maintained vertically, were pretreated with a droplet of buffer solution or a bead of anion exchange resin, both containing [2(14)-C]abscisic acid (ABA). A significant basipetal ABA movement was observed and two metabolites of ABA (possibly phaseic acid and dihydrophaseic acid) were found. ABA pretreatment enhanced the gravireaction of 10 mm apical root segments kept both in the dark and in the light. The possibility that ABA could be one of the endogenous growth inhibitors produced or released by the cap cells is discussed.