Identification of Endogenous Gibberellins in Dormant Bulbils of Chinese Yam Dioscorea opposita

摘要

It is known that dormancy of the genus Dioscorea is induced by application of gibberellin (GA) A3. To understand the role of GAs in dormancy induction, endogenous GAs have been identified by Kovats retention indices and full mass spectra from capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of purified extract from dormant bulbils of Dioscorea opposita Thunb. These include GA4, GA9, GA12, GA19, GA20, GA24, GA36, and GA53; their presence suggests the occurrence of two biosynthetic pathways in D. opposita bulbils, the early 13-hydroxylation pathway and the non-13-hydroxylation pathway.