The jasmonates, which include jasmonic acid and its methyl ester (MJ), play a central role in regulating the biosynthesis of many secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, and also are signaling molecules in environmental stresses. Synthesis of anthocyanins pigments is a final part of flavonoids pathway route. Accumulation of the pigments in young seedlings is stimulated by various environmental stresses, such as high-intensity light, wounding, pathogen attack, drought, sugar and nutrient deficiency. The anthocyanins take part in defense system against excess of light and UV-B light, and therefore it is probably main reason why young plant tissues accumulate enlarged levels of the pigments. The effects of exogenously applied MJ on level of anthocyanins, glycosides of apigenin, luteolin, quercetin and proanthocyanidins in seedlings of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) were studied. MJ decreased contents of all the found cyanidin glycosides and its aglycone in hypocotyls of buckwheat seedlings. However contents of particular anthocyanins in cotyledons of buckwheat seedlings treated with the plant hormone were not significantly different from the control. Applied doses of MJ did not affect levels of quercetin, apigenin and luteolin glycosides in the analyzed parts of buckwheat seedlings: cotyledons and hypocotyls. On the other hand, treatment of buckwheat seedlings with MJ clearly stimulated of proanthocyanidins biosynthesis in hypocotyls. We suggest that methyl jasmonate induces in hypocotyls of buckwheat seedlings the leucocyanidin reductase or anthocyanidin reductase, possible enzymes in proanthocyanidins synthesis, and/or inhibits anthocyanidin synthase, which transforms leucocyanidin into cyanidin. According to our knowledge this is the first report regarding the effect of methyl jasmonate on enhancing the accumulation of proanthocyanidins in cultivated plants.

The effects of exogenously applied methyl jasmonate on content of biogenic amines: putrescine, spermidine, tyramine, cadaverine and 2-phenylethylamine in seedlings of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) were investigated. The studies have shown that methyl jasmonate stimulates the conversion of L-phenylalanine into 2-phenylethylamine and increases the endogenous levels of putrescine in hypocotyls and cotyledons of buckwheat seedlings. Simultaneous feeding the seedlings with L-phenylalanine and methyl jasmonate has indicated that conversion of L-phenylalanine into 2-phenylethylamine can be one of possible reasons, caused by the methyl jasmonate suppression of anthocyanins synthesis in hypocotyls. To our knowledge, the stimulation of conversion of L-phenylalanine into 2-phenylethylamine by methyl jasmonate, as found in the present study, is described for the first time in higher plants.

The effect of methyl jasmonate (MJ) vapors on content of phenolic compounds: free phenolic acids, total quercetin, and total phenolics in etiolated buckwheat seedlings were studied. The data presented show that low concentration of MJ (10 -8 M) had no influence on trans-cinnamic acid (CA), but stimulated the accumulation of chlorogenic acid in hypocotyls and cotyledons of buckwheat seedlings. A moderate dose of MJ (10 -6 M) did not change the level of chlorogenic acid in the hypocotyls and cotyledons, but CA synthesis was promoted in cotyledons, whereas in hypocotyls no significant effect was found. Highest concentration of MJ (10 -4 M) caused small decline of CA in hypocotyls, but large stimulation of the acid production in cotyledons was noted. MJ had stimulatory effect on caffeic acid forming, but inhibited synthesis of vanillic acid in hypocotyls and cotyledons. Lowest concentration of MJ (10 -8 M) elicited accumulation of quercetin glycosides in both studied tissues of buckwheat seedlings, however at higher doses (10 -6 and 10 -4 M) did not affect the flavonol level. The obtained results suggest that nonequivalent influence of methyl jasmonate on the phenolics composition can be a result of various mechanisms of MJ uptake, transforming and/or its translocation in buckwheat hypocotyls and cotyledons. Decline of anthocyanins level in buckwheat hypocotyls caused by MJ cannot be explained by enhanced accumulation of quercetin glycosides or free phenolic acids, but probably by synthesis of other unknown phenolic compounds.

Effects of various jasmonates (methyl jasmonate, jasmonic acid, cis-jasmone) on anthocyanins and procyanidins content of, as well as on growth of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) seedlings were studied. The studied jasmonates were applied as solutions or vapors on four days seedlings, and the seedlings were grown during the next four days in day/night conditions (16/8 h). Afterwards anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins content, as well as elongation of primary roots and hypocotyls were measured. When applied as solutions cis-jasmone (JAS) stimulated the anthocyanins accumulation, but when used as vapors had tendency to decrease its accumulation in buckwheat hypocotyls. Jasmonic acid (JA) solutions slightly stimulated or had no effect on biosynthesis of anthocyanins in buckwheat hypocotyls, but used as vapors caused a decline of anthocyanins in buckwheat hypocotyls. Methyl jasmonate (MJ) clearly inhibited biosynthesis of anthocyanins in hypocotyls of buckwheat seedlings. The studied jasmonates had no influence on anthocyanins level in cotyledons of buckwheat seedlings, except cis-jasmone, which at the lowest solution concentration slightly enhanced biosynthesis of the pigments. Treatment of buckwheat seedlings with solutions of all jasmonates (10 -8 M, 10 -6 M and 10 -4 M) had no influence on the growth of buckwheat hypocotyls. Contrary to that observation vapors of the growth regulators in concentrations 10 -4 M, had a strong inhibitory effect on the growth of hypocotyls of buckwheat seedlings. Solutions of JA and MJ, as well as vapors of JA, MJ and JAS strongly inhibited the primary root growth of buckwheat seedlings, while JAS applied as solution had no such influence. MJ and JA caused much higher stimulation of proanthocyanidin biosynthesis in buckwheat hypocotyls than JAS.

A b s t r a c tThe effect of methyl jasmonate (JA-Me) and phenolic acids: trans-cinnamic acid (t-CA), p-coumaric acid (p-CA), salicylic acid (SA) as well as naringenine (NAR) on growth of seedlings and accumulation of anthocyanins in common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) were studied. JA-Me and phenolics were applied to growth medium of 4-days etiolated buckwheat seedlings before their exposition to day/night (16h/8h) conditions. The increase of primary roots and hypocotyls length were measured after 3 days of seedling growth in such conditions. At the end of experiment the total anthocyanins contents were measured as well. Methyl jasmonate (JA-Me) and trans-cinnamic acid (t-CA) inhibited growth of the primary root in young buckwheat seedlings, while naringenine (NAR) had a stimulatory influence, and p-coumaric acid had no effect at all. None of investigated phenolics or JA-Me had an effect on the growth of buckwheat hypocotyls, except the mixture of JA-Me and p-coumarcic acid. JA-Me significantly decreased the anthocyanins level in buckwheat hypocototyls, but not in cotyledons. trans-Cinnamic acid, p-coumaric acid and naringenine had no significant influence on the anthocyanin level in hypocotyls and cotyledons of buckwheat seedlings. Simultaneous treatment of buckwheat seedlings with JA-Me and t-CA or p-CA did not change the inhibition of anthocyanins accumulation in buckwheat hypocotyls by JA-Me. In the hypocotyls of buckwheat treated with a mixture of JA-Me and NAR, or SA, a synergistic reduction of anthocyanins was observed.