CONVERSION OF THE PLANT GROWTH RETARDANT (2-CHLOROETHYL)TRIMETHYLAMMONIUM CHLORIDE TO CHOLINE IN SHOOTS OF CHRYSANTHEMUM AND BARLEY

Abstract

In barley and chrysanthemum shoots, (2-chloroethyl)trimethylammonium chloride (CCC) was converted to a compound chromatographically identical with choline. Labeled choline and several other labeled metabolites were isolated from plant tissues that had been placed in solutions containing methyl- or ethyl-labeled CCC. These results indicate that the carbon skeleton remained intact during the conversion. The unknown metabolites were identical with those isolated from plants that had received choline or choline plus CCC. An additional compound, found only after CCC treatment, may be an intermediate in the conversion of CCC to choline.