INTERACTION BETWEEN A PLANT-DERIVED SMOKE EXTRACT, LIGHT AND PHYTOHORMONES ON THE GERMINATION OF LIGHT-SENSITIVE LETTUCE SEEDS

Plant-derived smoke extracts mimics the effect of red light on germination in light-sensitive lettuce seeds and partially overcomes the inhibitory effect of far-red light. Interaction between a smoke extract and gibberellins, cytokinins, abscisic acid and ethephon was investigated. Smoke acted synergistically with GA(3) and increased the sensitivity of the lettuce seeds to ABA. It seems likely that smoke affects membrane permeability or receptor sensitivity rather than influencing the phytochrome system of these seeds.