Mutational analysis of branching in pea. Evidence that Rms1 and Rms5 regulate the same novel signal

The fifth increased branching ramosus (rms) mutant, rms5, from pea (Pisum s ativum), is described here for phenotype and grafting responses with four o ther rms mutants. Xylem sap zeatin riboside concentration and shoot auxin l evels in rms5 plants have also been compared with rms1 and wild type (WT). Rms1 and Rms5 appear to act closely at the biochemical or cellular level to control branching, because branching was inhibited in reciprocal epicotyl grafts between rms5 or rms1 and WT plants, but not inhibited in reciprocal grafts between rms5 and rmsl seedlings. The weakly transgressive or slightl y additive phenotype of the rmsl rms5 double mutant provides further eviden ce for this interaction. Like rms1, rms5 rootstocks have reduced xylem sap cytokinin concentrations, and rms5 shoots do not appear deficient in indole -3-acetic acid or 4-chloroindole-3-acetic acid. Rms1 and Rms5 are similar i n their interaction with other Rms genes. Reciprocal grafting studies with rmsl, rms2, and rms5, together with the fact that root xylem sap cytokinin concentrations are reduced in rms1 and rms5 and elevated in rms2 plants, in dicates that Rms1 and Rms5 may control a different pathway than that contro lled by Rms2. Our studies indicate that Rms1 and Rms5 may regulate a novel graft-transmissible signal involved in the control of branching.