ANTISENESCENCE PROPERTIES OF GUAZATINE IN OSMOTICALLY STRESSED OAT LEAVES

Oat leaf segments exposed the osmotica used in protoplast isolation were assayed with the aim of improving cereal protoplast culture. The capability of guazatine, an inhibitor of polyamine oxidase (PAO) activity, to prevent chlorophyll loss in osmotically stressed oat leaves was examined. Treatments with guazatine led to a decrease of the levels of diaminopropane, the direct oxidation product of spermidine and spermine, suggesting that the mechanism of action of guazatine as an antisenescence compound depends on its ability to inhibit PAO activity.