To characterize as early as possible the status of flowering differentiation in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco), the variation of amino acids and polyamines was studied in the shoots during the period covering flowering initiation (between 4 and 10 weeks after bud burst). These compounds were also quantified in sexual and vegetative buds. The qualitative and quantitative effects of treatments susceptible to stimulate flowering (application of gibberellins (GA) and (or) calcium nitrate (N)) were observed in the shoots. Only N and N + GA treated trees flowered, the flowering being especially abundant for trees treated by N + GA. Arginine and proline were generally more abundant in sexual buds than in vegetative ones and in the shoots of flowering plants than in the control shoots. Sexual buds were characterized by a ratio of putrescine/(spermidine + spermine) about two times lower than in vegetative buds, mainly owing to a lower level in putrescine. The accumulation of polyamines in the shoots accompanied bud sexualization, which suggests that polyamines may constitute potential markers, probably rather early ones (4–6 weeks after bud burst), of floral initiation in Douglas-fir. This possibility is discussed.

To characterize as early as possible the status of flowering differentiation in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), the variation of bound or conjugated polyamines is studied in the shoots of young plants (6 years old) during the period covering flowering initiation (between 30 and 75 days after bud burst). These compounds are also quantified in sexual and vegetative buds. The quantitative effects of treatments susceptible to stimulate the flowering (application of gibberellins and (or) calcium nitrate) on the level of conjugated polyamines are investigated in the shoots. The combination of gibberellins to calcium nitrate application strongly increases the flowering. Conjugated polyamines are particularly abundant in sexual buds and in the shoots of flowering plants. Sexual buds are also characterized by a ratio of conjugated putrescine to conjugated spermidine about four to six times higher than in vegetative buds. The accumulation of conjugated polyamines in the shoots accompanies bud sexualization, which suggests that conjugated polyamines may constitute potential markers of floral initiation in Douglas-fir.Key words: floral induction, flowering marker, conjugated polyamines, Douglas-fir.

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Summary.-Aliphatic polyamines, putrescine, spermidine and spermine are ubiquHous in all living organisms. They occur in the free form as cations, but are often conjugated to small molecule like phenolics acids and also to various macromolecules. Polyamines and their biosynthetic enzymes may play an imponant role in many aspects of plants development including growth, differentiation, senescence and response to dillerents types of stress. Recent worl< suggest, but has not proven, a regulatory role of polyamines in these processes. Putrescine accumulation in response to stress, suggests a protective role. By contrast, increased spermidine and spermine synthesis appears essential for DNA replication and cell division.