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Changes in exudation rate and cytokinin activities in the exudates were measured in two varieties of rice (Oryza sativa L.), cv Nipponbare (a Japanese normal cultivar) and cv Akenohoshi (a highyielding cultivar). The exudation rates of Akenohoshi, the leaves of which remained green for a longer time, were higher than those of Nipponbare after the booting stage. Cytokinin activities in the exudates of Akenohoshi were higher than those of Nipponbare during the ripening period. Cytokinins in the exudates collected during the middle of the ripening stage were analyzed with mass spectrometry using deuterium-labeled standards. trans-Zeatin, trans-ribosylzeatin, and N'-isopentenyladenosine were detected as free cytokinins, and zeatin was detected in the hydrolysates of highly polar fractions ("conjugated zeatin") in the exudates of both cultivars. Conjugated zeatin was the predominant cytokinin in both cultivars. Therefore, we suggest that conjugated zeatin is an important form of cytokinin during the ripening stage. The level of each of the cytokinins in Akenohoshi was higher than that in Nipponbare. Also, we discuss the correlation between the leaf senescence and cytokinin content in root exudates.In a previous study to clarify the physiological and ecological characteristics of high-yielding rice varieties (11, 12), it was reported that the yield in Akenohoshi was about 1780 kg/ha higher than that in Nipponbare, a Japanese standard cultivar, and that Akenohoshi had a higher dry matter production capacity compared with Nipponbare. This was attributed to the maintenance of a higher net assimilation rate during the ripening period in the former. 1724 stage were 9.2 ,umol of CO2 m-2 s-' (44.6% of its maximum rate at the panicle formation stage) and 12.7 smol of CO2 m-2 S-1 (62.0%), respectively. In addition, the cause for these differences between the two cultivars was examined by measuring the active and passive water absorption abilities of the roots. The rate of exudation from the main stem and the resistance to water transport from the root surface to the leaves under intense transpiration were higher and lower in Akenohoshi than in Nipponbare, respectively. These differences between the two cultivars were especially large during the ripening stage. This fact suggests that physiological activity in the roots of Akenohoshi was higher than that in Nipponbare. It is known that a decline in the physiological activity of roots causes leaf senescence and death of the leaves at the lower positions (10), but the mechanism by which this occurs is not understood well.Cytokinins transported from the roots via the xylem are known to delay leaf senescence (6,16,18). In the exudate of rice plants, several cytokinins were identified (15). However, the constitution of cytokinins in the exudate, the level of these cytokinins, and their effects on leaf photosynthesis and senescence have been examined in only a few studies (20).In this report, we discuss the changes in the exudation rates and cytokinin activities in the exudat...

Bokashi fertilizer, an organic fertilizer made of plant residue, has been used in Japan not only to fertilize plants but to regulate their growth. Lactic acid bacteria have been found to play an important role in the fermentation process of Bokashi, but the relationship between these bacteria and plant growth activity has not been clarified. Using the adzuki rooting assay, this study identified 3-phenyllactic acid (PLA) produced by lactic acid bacteria as a root promoting compound in Bokashi. PLA showed synergistic effect with tryptophan, but no stem elongation activity. Lactic acid bacteria produced equal quantities of the L-and D-forms of PLA, which have similar root promoting activity. PLA did not significantly affect the amount of endogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), although the chemical structure of PLA is highly similar to that of L-2-aminooxy-3-phenypropionic acid (L-AOPP), which inhibits IAA biosynthesis. These results indicate that the root promoting activity of PLA is not simply due to its increase in the amount of active auxin.

To evaluate the role of cytokinin in the source–sink relationship, panicles of rice were cut from the stem at the panicle emergence stage. Xylem sap exudates were collected using the stem cut method and the cytokinin concentration in the collected sap was determined by bioassay and further analysis using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The rate of cytokinin translocation from roots to shoots decreased continuously after panicle initiation, whereas, when the panicle was removed, the rate increased by up to 1.5-fold, at which time no cytokinin was found in the plants with panicles. Retardation of leaf senescence was not observed and nitrogen concentration in the leaves continued to decrease after panicle removal, irrespective of cytokinin (mainly dihydrozeatin riboside and trans-zeatin riboside) level. Thus, leaf autonomy is regulated by an endogenous program of nitrogen translocation from the leaf regardless of cytokinin level in the xylem

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