Light intensity affects gibberellic acid content in Kentucky bluegrass

Abstract

Turfgrasses grown under low light conditions generally exhibit increased shoot elongation. Gibberellic acids (GAs), GA1 in particular, promote stem elongation in grass species. GA20 is the immediate precursor of GA1. However, a direct quantitative measurement of GA1 and GA20 has not been reported for turfgrass under different light intensities. This study was conducted in a greenhouse to quantify the endogenous levels of GA1 and GA20 of 'KenblueTimes', 'Livingston', and 'NuGlade' Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) under two light intensities with and without trinexapacethyl (TE) application. GA1 and GA20 content in leaf tissue were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with deuterium-labeled GA1 and GA20 as internal standards. Light reduction of 73% under greenhouse conditions increased GA1 by 44% to 47% and GA20 by 16% to 50%. 'NuGlade' had a GA1 content 20% lower than that of 'Kenblue', suggesting that the dwarf characteristics of 'NuGlade' may be related to its low GA1 content. The application of TE (0.1 kg·ha-1) reduced GA1 concentration by 47%, but increased GA20 concentration by 146%, supporting the contention that TE inhibited GA1 biosynthesis by blocking the conversion of GA20 to GA1. Chemical names used: 4-(cyclopropylhydroxy-methylene)-3,5-dioxo-cyclohexanecarboxylic acid ethyl ester (trinexapac-ethyl); gibberellic acid (GA).