Purification and identification of a cytokinin from moss callus cells.

A cytokinin was isolated from the culture medium of callus cells of the moss hybridFunaria hygrometrica (L.) Sibth xPhyscomitrium piriforme Brid. The purification procedure included ethyl-acetate extraction, silver-salt precipitation, crystallization as picrate, and ion exchange chromatography. The structure of the cytokinin was confirmed as N(6)-(Δ(2)-isopentenyl)adenine by means of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The concentration of the compound in the culture medium was determined at ca. 10(-6) M.