GIBBERELLINS IN DEVELOPING FRUITS OF PRUNUS-AVIUM

Gibberellins present in sweet cherry fruitlets (Prunus avium cv Stella ) were analysed by combined capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrom etry after purification using a procedure designed to retain polyhydro xylated acids. Comparison of full-scan mass spectra of the TMSi ethers of the methyl esters and Kovats retention indices (KRIs) with those o f standards revealed the presence in extracts of GA(1), GA(3), GA(5), GA(19), GA(20) and GA(29), and comparison with published mass spectra and KRIs GA(32), GA(85) and GA(86). With the presence also of the prev iously identified GA(87), cherry fruitlets thus contained the C-12, an d C-12, C-15 hydroxylated derivatives of both GA(1) and GA(3).