PEROXIDASE ACTIVITY DURING ROOTING OF CUTTINGS IN EBENUS CRETICA/ A PRELIMINARY STUDY

Terminal semi-hardwood cuttings of Ebenus cretica L. were taken from two genotypes with different rooting response. Plants were grown in the greenhouse under controlled environmental conditions. After the application of 0 or 0.5 g.l^-1 IBA, cuttings were planted in perlite and placed for rooting in fog. On day 0, 1, 4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21 and 24 after placement for rooting, a basal portion from the cuttings (about 2 cm) was cut and used for the determination of peroxidase activity at pH 5.5 and 7.0. Anionic and cationic peroxidase patterns were analyzed (native-PAGE) during rooting process. The peroxidase activity was higher at pH 7.0 than at pH 5.5. In the cuttings of the genotype without rooting ability an approx. 30-35% more peroxidase activity during the initiation phase was noticed than in the genotype with the rooting ability. Also, peroxidase activity increased during rooting process in cuttings without rooting ability in the presence of IBA. Anionic and cationic peroxidase patterns revealed differences, during rooting process, between the two genotypes of different rooting response. Thus, the peroxidase activity could be used as an analytical criterion for predicting the rooting ability of cuttings in various clones of E. cretica.

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