Title: Identification of gibberellins in the seeds of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Lam.) and several other convolvulaceae plants.
Abstract: GA1, GA3, GA5, GA19, GA20 and GA23 were identified by GC-MS in the acidic ethyl acetate-soluble fraction from the seeds of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Lam.). GA19 and GA23 were major Gas in the mature seeds, their contents being about 200 and 160 μg/kg fresh weight, respectively, while those of GA19 and GA23 in immature seeds were below 100 μg/kg fr. wt. The occurrence of glycosyl conjugates of GA3, GA5, GA8, GA17, GA19, GA20, GA23 and GA44 in the butanol fraction from mature seeds was shown by GC/MS analysis after enzymatic hydrolysis. Besides the endogenous GAs in sweet potato, those in immature seeds of several other Convolvulaceae plants were investigated. The species of endogenous Gas were discussed in terms of chemotaxonomy.