Abstract

Factors affecting septation (cell division) of the tendril which facilitates the organic connection with the host were studied in a root parasite Aeginetia indica L. Transverse cell division, which occurs perpendicular to the long axis of the tendril, was promoted by additions of sucrose, glucose and cytokinins to the basal medium. Longitudinal cell division of the tendril, which takes place parallel or obliquely to the long axis, was stimulated by cytokinins, but not by sucrose. The latter type of cell division was frequent in basal and sub-basal cells of the tendril but was extremely rare in apical cells. The orientation of the planes of these cell divisions was closely related to cell shape. Abnormal growth of the tendril was seen in germinating seeds grown for six weeks or more in media containing both Miscanthus (a host) root extract and cytokinin.

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