© 2003 Heron Publishing—Victoria, Canada
Reinvigoration of Pinus radiata is associated with partial recovery of juvenile-like polyamine concentrations
Mario F. Fraga (1, 2), Roberto Rodríguez (1, 3) and M. Jesús Cañal (1, 3, 4)
1. Lab. Fisiología Vegetal, Dpto. Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Universidad de Oviedo, C/ Catedrático Rodrigo Uría s/n,
E-33071 Oviedo, Spain / 2. Lab. Epigenética del Cáncer, Programa de Patología Molecular, Spanish National Cancer Center (CNIO), C/ Melchor Fernández
Almagro no. 3, E-28029 Madrid, Spain / 3. Instituto de Biotecnología de Asturias (asociado al CSIC), E-33071 Oviedo, Spain / 4. Author to whom correspondence should be addressed (mjcanal@correo.uniovi.es) / Received March 12, 2002; accepted July 27, 2002; published online January 31, 2003
Summary
Polyamine concentrations in consecutive radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) grafts of 30-year-old trees on 1-year-old seedling rootstocks were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography
coupled with fluorescence detection to determine whether reinvigoration is associated with the recovery of polyamine concentrations
typical of those in juvenile tissues. Reinvigoration of radiata pine was correlated with the attainment of some, but not all,
polyamines characteristic of juvenile trees. In response to reinvigoration, free putrescine, the ratio of free polyamines
to low molecular weight polyamine conjugates, and the relative content of putrescine versus spermidine plus spermine increased
to values approaching those characteristic of juvenile tissue. In contrast, there was no noticeable change in the concentrations
of low molecular weight polyamine conjugates during reinvigoration even though these conjugates increased greatly during tree
maturation. We conclude that certain polyamines defined as reinvigoration markers can be used in forestry upgrading programs
to assess the morphogenic ability of reinvigorated trees.
Keywords:
aging markers, physiological indicators, radiata pine, reinvigoration markers, rejuvenation.
