Phytohormone changes in Bouteloua gracilis infected by vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizae. II. Altered levels of gibberellin-like substances and abscisic acid in the host plant

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Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K.) Lag ex Steud (blue grama) was grown in a defined medium with and without the vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus fasciculatus for 50 days. Levels of gibberellin-like substances (GA) and a substance like abscisic acid (ABA) of mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal plants were measured using the barley half-seed bioassay and UV detection of peaks from a μ-Bondapak–NH 2 anion exchange high-performance liquid chromatograph column, respectively. Infection by mycorrhizal fungi resulted in significantly increased GA activity in the leaves and a tendency for decreased activity in the roots. ABA concentration decreased in leaves of infected plants but remained unchanged in roots. Increased levels of GA with reduced ABA in the leaves may alter substantially the physiology of B. gracilis.