Endogenous Hormone Profile and Sugars Display Differential Distribution in Leaves and Pseudobulbs of Laelia anceps Plants Induced and Non-Induced to Flowering by Exogenous Gibberellic Acid

A profile of endogenous hormones and sugars in leaves and pseudobulbs of Laelia anceps subsp. anceps (Orchidaceae) plants induced and non-induced to flowering by the effect of different doses of exogenous gibberellic acid (GA(3)), considering the current and back growth structures (CGS and BGS), were investigated. A factorial experiment with five doses of GA(3) and two growth structures was designed. Adult plants with undifferentiated vegetative buds were selected and sprayed with doses of 0, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 mg GA(3) L-1. The main results showed a strong interaction between GA(3) dose and growth structures, which promoted the highest kinetin (KIN) concentration in CGS. Exogenous GA(3) increased endogenous GA(3) in leaves and pseudobulbs induced (I-Leaf and I-PSB) and non-induced (NI-Leaf and NI-PSB) to flowering. For sugar concentration, the 400 mg L-1 GA(3) dose promotes significant interaction with the CGS in NI-PSB. In general, the hormone profile revealed opposite balances of endogenous hormone concentrations for KIN, zeatin (ZEA), trans-zeatin (T-ZEA), indoleacetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and GA(3), not only for growth structures but also for vegetative organs analyzed, depending on whether the plants were induced or not induced to flowering, with the highest concentration of endogenous hormones in pseudobulbs. Likewise, different sugar concentration balances were observed. These balances of both endogenous hormones and sugars are likely to be involved in the flowering of L. anceps.