3.2.2. Effect of inhibitors of auxin transport
Given that exogenous auxin induced BPP-like bending in
normal stems, we used auxin transport inhibitors to verify the
involvement of auxin in the bending of BPP stems. Application of
NPA and Oraset led to straightening of more than 94% of
moderately bent peduncles (Fig. 6c and Table 1). The stage of the
flower at the time of the treatment did not influence peduncle
straightening. However, bending severity affected peduncle
straightening, with only 36.7% of strongly bent peduncles
responding to NPA treatment (Table 1). In line with these
findings, also in axillary stems regenerating from NPA-treated
main stems, BPP was abolished in almost all cases, and there was
no significant difference between axillary stems developing from
normal and BPP main stems (G = 2.65, DF = 1, P = 0.10). Auxin
transport inhibitors had no visible effect on straight (normal)