97-22915 Kende The work is based on physiological/ biochemical analysis of the interplay between different plant growth regulators, ethylene, ABA, GA, in the regulation of growth. The objectives of the continuing research include the analysis of gene expression changes in response to GA, the primary mediator stimulating growth. Included is an analysis of the role of expansins in the elongation of deepwater rice internodes, and analysis of the action of ethylene which stimulates elongation growth by promoting the turnover of ABA which would otherwise inhibit growth. Finally, transformation of rice is being done to test the function of the isolated genes, GA-induced, in transgenic rice.
