The influence of plant growth regulators on bud break and shoot growth from large stem segments of Acer saccharinum L

Benzyladenine (BA) and/or gibberellic acid (GA3) were applied in 20% white exterior latex paint separately at 0, 0.3, 1, 3, 10, or 30mM; and at 1, 10 or 30mM of each in a 3 x 3 factorial to 40cm long stem segments of Acer saccharinum L. When all BA or GA3 treated stems were compared to controls there was no improvement in softwood shoot production from treated stems, except for the first run of BA experiment with longer shoots compared to controls. The combination of BA plus GA3 stimulated more and longer softwood shoots to grow. Explants from stems painted with 3mM BA or 1mM BA plus 1mM GA3 cultured on medium with 0.01muM TDZ produced more or longer shoots respectively than explants from stems painted with other BA concentrations or BA plus GA 3 concentrations and cultured either on medium with 0 or 0.01muM TDZ.