GAS-EXCHANGE AND IN-VIVO CHLOROPHYLL FLUORESCENCE IN POTATO AND TOBACCO PLANTLETS IN-VITRO AS AFFECTED BY VARIOUS CONCENTRATIONS OF 6-BENZYLAMINOPURINE

Application of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) into cultivation medium of potato and tobacco plantlets caused changes in their growth, morphology and photosynthetic parameters in dependence on the plant species and the concentration used. The stimulating effect of BAP added to the cultivation medium was found only at very low BAP concentrations (up to 0.01 g m(-3) in tobacco and 0.1 g m(-3) in potato plantlets). BAP induced only a very slight tendency to increasing chlorophyll (Chl) a+b content and the ratios Chl a/b, Chl/carotenoids and net photosynthetic rate/dark respiration rate (P-N/R(D)) in both plant species. Also the increase of the photochemical efficiency of photosystem 2 as indicated by the ratio of variable to maximal fluorescence (F-v/F-m) and P-N was not statistically significant and was found only in potato plantlets. The stomatal transpiration rate (E(s)) in tobacco plantlets increased with increasing BAP concentrations up to 0.1 g m(-3). However, this was a rather negative effect as it increased a danger of plantlet wilting. In both plant species the BAP concentration of 1.0 g m(-3) inhibited growth of plantlet roots; their shoots had altered morphology, their P-N, light respiration rate (R(L)), E(S), P-N/R(D) ratio, Chi contents and parameters of in vivo fluorescence (F-v/F-m, qp, Rfd) decreased and CO2 compensation concentration increased. This negative effect of BAP was more pronounced in tobacco than in potato plantlets. The above mentioned changes in photosynthetic parameters in plantlets treated with BAP corresponded to the changes in photosynthetic parameters in transgenic plants of the same species with T-DNA carrying gene 4 and resulting from increased level of endogenous cytokinins. However, the application of BAP lead to a decrease in endogenous cytokinins level and thus the effects described are probably due to the action of BAP itself.