New physiological effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid in plants: The increase of photosynthesis, chlorophyll content, and plant growth

• Published in: Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry Vol. 61; no. 12; pp. 2025 - 2028
• Main Authors: Hotta, Y. (COSM Research Inst., Satte, Saitama (Japan)), Tanaka, T, Takaoka, H, Takeuchi, Y, Konnai, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Taylor & Francis 1997; Japan Society for Bioscience Biotechnology and Agrochemistry
• Subjects: 5-aminolevulinic acid; ACIDE LEVULINIQUE; ACIDO LEVULINICO; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; AMINO COMPOUNDS; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical agents; chlorophyll; CHLOROPHYLLE; CHLOROPHYLLS; CLOROFILAS; COMPOSE AMINE; COMPUESTOS DE AMINA; Cropping systems. Cultivation. Soil tillage; EFECTOS SECUNDARIOS; EFFET SECONDAIRE; FONCTION PHYSIOLOGIQUE; FOTOSINTESIS; FUNCION FISIOLOGICA; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; GROWTH RATE; INDICE DE CRECIMIENTO; LEVULINIC ACID; PHOTOSYNTHESE; PHOTOSYNTHESIS; PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS; plant growth; Plant physiology and development; PLANTAS; PLANTE; PLANTS; SIDE EFFECTS; TAUX DE CROISSANCE; Tending. Growth control; Tillage. Tending. Growth control; Vegetative apparatus, growth and morphogenesis. Senescence; Monocotyledones; Growth; Ornamental crop; Biochemistry; Cereal crop; Oryza sativa; Indoor plant; Cruciferae; Gramineae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Plant growth substance; Biological effect; Phytopharmacology; Chlorophyll; Bioassay; Experimental study; Armoracia rusticana; Chemical modification; Araceae; Metabolic precursor; Photosynthetic pigment; Aminoacid; Content; Concentration effect; Flavoring crop; Spermatophyta; Photosynthesis; 5-aminolevulinic acid; plant growth; chlorophyll; photosynthesis
• ISSN: 0916-8451; 1347-6947
• DOI: 10.1271/bbb.61.2025

5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) promoted the growth and yield of several crops and vegetables at concentrations lower than those eliciting herbicidal responses, i.e., less than 1.8 mM by foliar spray and 60 muM by root soaking. To evaluate the physiological action of ALA, the effects of ALA on plants were examined by several bioassay systems at 0.0006-600 muM. ALA at 0.06-6 muM by root soaking increased the growth of rice seedlings in light, but did not affect this is darkness. In horseradish shoot primordia, promotion by ALA was not proportional among total chlorophyll content, chlorophyll concentration, and fresh weight. In the test using pothos, ALA at 0.06 muM elicited the accumulation of chlorophyll, but the photosynthesis of the plants was promoted by treatment together with ALA and nutrients. These results suggest that ALA have a variety of plant physiological effects on chlorophyll synthesis, photosynthesis, and plant growth, and ALA acts as a growth regulator in plants at low concentrations. These effects of ALA were also assumed to be linked to light irradiation and an uptake of fertilizer by plants. However, excess ALA suppressed these effects