EFFECT OF CYTOKININ 4-PU-30 ON THE LIPID-COMPOSITION OF WATER-STRESSED BEAN-PLANTS

Fourteen days-old bean plants, grown on sand with Knop's nutrient solu tion were subjected to water stress (three days without irrigation), T he stress led to a decrease in almost all lipid classes except phospho lipids in the primary leaves. The content of palmitic acid increased, and that of the linolenic acid decreased, An increase of hexadecenoic acid in phospholipids was also observed. Rewatering for 24 h led to th e recovery of the stressed plants including that of the photosynthetic apparatus, but the changes in the lipid composition were insignifican t. The spraying of the plants before and after the water stress with 5 x 10(-6) M solution of the phenylurea cytokinin 4-PU-30 alleviated ne gative effect of water stress on the lipid membrane composition permit ting the plants to resist the harmful environment.