title: Evaluation of selective detectors for the rapid and sensitive gas chromatographic assay of cytokinins, and application to the analysis of cytokinins in plant extracts.
abstract: The performances of four gas chromatographic detectors (nitrogen-phosphorus, flamephotometric, electron-capture and flame-ionisation) were compared for the analysis of permethylated cytokinins. The nitrogen-phosphorus and flame-photometric detectors (selective for nitrogen and sulphur-containing compounds respectively) gave greatly enhanced sensitivity and-or specificity compared with the flame-ionisation detector for a wide range of cytokinin types. The response of the electron-capture and flame-ionisation detectors was quantitatively similar. The improved performance of the nitrogen-phosphorus and flame-photometric detectors was used to develop rapid and simple purification techniques for the assay of zeatin and zeatin riboside in coconut milk; dihydrozeatin and dihydrozeatin riboside in bean leaves and cytokinin nucleosides in wheat-germ transfer RNA.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Section, National Vegetable Research Station, Wellesbourne, CV35 9EF, Warwick, UK.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Whenham