Peroxidase activity, ethylene production, lignification and growth limitation in shoots of a nonrooting mutant of tobacco

The rooting recalcitrant rac Nicotiana tabacum cv Xanthi mutant has been multiplied in vitro under the form of shoots in parallel to wild-type. rac Shoots grew at a lower rate and did not root whatever the treatments when compared to those of wild-type shoots. They were characterized by a higher lignin level, a higher total specific peroxidase activity with higher activity of both acidic and basic isoperoxidases (although missing and supernumerary isoenzymes were observed), and higher ethylene production. These observations might be causally related to growth inhibitions as similar incidences have been noted in different stress-induced growth limitation, through cell wall rigidification and auxin catabolism. The relationship between these aspects and rooting recalcitrance remains to be explored.