Selective deactivation of gibberellins below the shoot apex is critical to flowering but not to stem elongation of Lolium.

Gibberellins (GAs) cause dramatic increases in plant height and a genetic block in the synthesis of GA(1) explains the dwarfing of Mendel's pea. For flowering, it is GA(5) which is important in the long-day (LD) responsive grass, Lolium. As we show here, GA(1) and GA(4) are restricted in their effectiveness for flowering because they are deactivated by C-2 hydroxylation below the shoot apex.

Flowering of the grass Lolium perenne: effects of vernalization and long days on gibberellin biosynthesis and signaling.

Almost 50 years ago, it was shown that gibberellin (GA) applications caused flowering in species normally responding to cold (vernalization) and long day (LD). The implication that GAs are involved with vernalization and LD responses is examined here with the grass Lolium perenne. This species has an obligatory requirement for exposure to both vernalization and LD for its flowering (inflorescence initiation).