Stem segments containing a single node and quiescent lateral bud (tiller) were excised from the bases of oat shoots (cv. 'Victory') and used to study the effects of plant hormones on release of lateral buds and development of adventitious root primordia. Kinetin (10-5 and 10-6 molar) stimulates development of tifllers and inhibits development of root primordia, whereas indoleacetic acid (IAA) (10-' and 10-6 molar) causes the reverse effects. Abscisic acid strongly inhibits kinetin-induced tiDler bud release and elongation and IAA-induced adventitious root development. IAA, in combination with kinetin, also inhibits kinetin-induced bud prophyll ( The role of plant hormones in the regulation of lateral bud development in dicots has been studied by many investigators (1,12,13,19 leaf.It is well-established that regeneration of roots at the basal ends of cuttings is regulated by auxin (15)(16)(17). Skoog and Miller (14) found that, in tobacco callus tissue cultures, a high auxin to cytokinin ratio stimulates root production.In light of the fact that hormonal regulation for bud release and adventitious root development in grasses is so poorly understood, it was decided to reinvestigate this problem, using excised oat stem segments and intact oat plants as experimental systems.
MATERIALS AND METHODSPlant Materials. Oats (Avena sativa L. cv. 'Victory') were ger- Experiments with Intact Plants. In these experiments, entire flats of oats were either left upright or placed horizontally for geostimulation treatment. Decapitation of shoots was performed by excising the shoots below the p-node (first node below the peduncle, the main axis of the inflorescence) (Fig. 1). The amount of bud release from the p-5 node was analyzed following geostimulation, decapitation, and treatment with kinetin (10-5 M), TIBA (10-5 M), PCIB (l0-5 M), a-naphthaleneacetic acid (l0-5 M), or IAA (l0-5 M). For these growth regulation treatments, shoots were sprayed every day for 3 days, and per cent tiller release was determined on the 4th day. Tween 20 (0.1%) (v/v) and dimethyl sulfoxide (0.1%) (v/v) were included in the growth regulator solutions to aid penetration of hormones into shoot tissues. These experiments with intact plants were repeated at least three times.Experiments with Excised Stem Segments. Segments (2-3 cm in length) containing a single node, a quiescent axillary bud (1.5-2 mm in length) which will form a tiller shoot, and portions of the internode on either side of it were excised below the p-5 node (Fig.