Response of Cereal Grains to Gibberellic Acid

Aleurone cells of oats produce significantly less α-amylase than the aleurone cells of rye, wheat or barley after treatment with gibberellic acid (GA3). Furthermore, excised embryos from oats, rye, wheat or barley are more efficient than exogenous gibberellic acid in catalysing the production of α-amylase in oats endosperms. Enzymic modification of the endosperm of oats, as distinct from the other cereal grains, is associated with rapid elongation of the scutellar apex under the aleurone cells.