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Comparison of cytokinin- and auxin-like activity in some commercially used seaweed extracts

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Abstract

Six commercially used seaweed extracts were tested for cytokinin- and auxin-like activity using the soybean callus bioassay and the mung bean rooting bioassay respectively. All the seaweed extracts tested showed cytokinin-like activity. Seamac caused the most callus growth with activity being concentrated at R f 0.9 which co-chromatographed withiso-pentenyladenine and its riboside. The other five seaweed extracts yielded activity at R f 0.7–0.8. This co-chromatographed with zeatin and zeatin riboside. All the seaweed extracts tested improved rooting of mung beans. Kelpak made fromEcklonia maxima (Osbeck) Papenf. gave the best rooting response.

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Correspondence to W. A. Stirk.

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Stirk, W.A., Van Staden, J. Comparison of cytokinin- and auxin-like activity in some commercially used seaweed extracts. J Appl Phycol 8, 503–508 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02186328

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02186328

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