Abstract
A SERIES of papers1–4 has described experiments purporting to show the existence of brassins from pollen of rape (Brassica napus Gaertn). It is claimed that they represent a novel group1; that they consist of five active components; that they have a fatty nature1,2; and that they have plant hormonal activity1–4. We consider that the evidence presented in the four papers is inadequate to support any of these conclusions.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Mitchell, J. W., Mandava, N., Worley, J. F., Plimmer, J. R., and Smith, M. V., Nature, 225, 1065 (1970).
Mitchell, J. W., Mandava, N., Worley, J. F., and Drowne, M. E., J. Agr. Food Chem., 19, 391 (1971).
Worley, J. F., and Mitchell, J. W., J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci., 96, 270 (1971).
Mitchell, J. W., and Gregory, L. E., Nature New Biology, 239, 253 (1972).
NMR Spectra Catalogue, 1, spectrum 368 (Varian Associates, USA, 1962).
Coombe, B. G., Plant Physiol., 35, 241 (1960).
Guttridge, C. G., and Thompson, P. A., Nature, 183, 197 (1959).
Sachs, R. M., Bretz, C. F., and Lang, A., Amer. J. Bot., 46, 376 (1959).
Feucht, J. R., and Watson, D. P., Amer. J. Bot., 45, 520 (1958).
Greulach, V. A., and Haesloop, J. G., Amer. J. Bot., 45, 566 (1958).
Phinney, B. O., Proc. US Nat. Acad. Sci., 42, 185 (1956).
Bukovac, M. J., and Wittwer, S. H., Mich. Univ. Agr. Exp. Sta. Quart. Bull., 39, 469 (1959).
Leopold, A. C., Plant Growth and Development, 118 (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1964).
Cleland, R. E., in Physiology of Plant Growth and Development (edit. by Wilkins, M. B.), 51 (McGraw-Hill, London, 1969).
Stowe, B. B., and Dott, M. A., Plant Physiol., 48, 559 (1971).
Mandava, N., and Mitchell, J. W., Chem. Ind., 930 (1972).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
MILBORROW, B., PRYCE, R. The Brassins. Nature 243, 46 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/243046a0
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/243046a0
This article is cited by
-
Multifunctional role of brassinosteroid and its analogues in plants
Plant Growth Regulation (2020)
-
Q&A: what are brassinosteroids and how do they act in plants?
BMC Biology (2016)
-
A History of Brassinosteroid Research from 1970 through 2005: Thirty-Five Years of Phytochemistry, Physiology, Genes, and Mutants
Journal of Plant Growth Regulation (2015)
-
Plant hormones and plant growth regulators in plant tissue culture
In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant (1996)
-
Brassinolide, a plant growth-promoting steroid isolated from Brassica napus pollen
Nature (1979)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.