Chemical Factors Affecting Anthocyanin Formation and Morphogenesis in Cultured Hypocotyl Segments of Impatiens balsamina

Abstract

Introduction The effects of various chemicals on anthocyanin synthesis and morphogenesis in the Impatiens hypocotyl were investigated to determine possible relationships between a specific biochemical process (anthocyanin synthesis) and morphogenetic events (the formation of roots and epidermal hairs). Cultured segments of balsam (Impatiens balsamina L.) provide excellent material for the study of anthocyanin formation as an indicator of metabolic conditions accompanying differentiation (3). A similar approach to studying morphogenesis has been taken by Klein and Hagen (7) using cultured balsam flower petals. The axis of the etiolated hypocotyl presents a gradient of tissue differentiation from an actively dividing meristem in the region of the hypocotyl arch to highly specialized tissue zones toward the base (2, 8). Correspondingly, different segments of the balsam hypocotyl axis differ in their capacity to form roots, epidermal hairs, and anthocyanin pigments when cultured on an agar medium (3).