Lack of influence of low temperature, light and growth substances on phytochrome resynthesis in coleoptiles of irradiated oat seedlings

The photoconversion of phytochrome PR into the PFR form causes at the same time the destruction of the initial large fraction of phytochrome found in the coleoptiles of etiolated oat seedlings. Factors such as low temperature, light of different wavelengths or growth substances are not capable of preventing the progressive destruction and restore the synthesis of phytochrome. Thus an abnormally high level of phytochrome is found only in etiolated seedlings. Such seedlings, on the other hand, are characterized by a very high rate of elongation growth. The role of phytochrome in the control of deetiolation of seedlings is discussed.