The relationship between the effect of exogenous jasmonic acid (JA) on the induction of secondary laticifer differentiation and the distribution of JA in the seedling of Hevea brasiliensis Mull. Arg. was investigated with the aid of experimental morphological and radioisotope technique. Most radioactivity of H-3-JA sustained in treated site within one hour while no radioactivity was detected in new shoot and the radioactivity in upper leaf was much less than that in the parts below the treated site, suggesting that JA was mainly transported downwards in the shoot of H brasiliensis. Mechanical wounding hindered the entrance of exogenous JA remarkably while held back the entered JA to the regions around wounded site. The effect of exogenous JA and mechanical wounding on the induction of the secondary laticifer differentiation was limited to treated site where high level of JA was expected. Mechanical wounding reduced the effect of exogenous JA on the differentiation of secondary laticifer, which could be ascribed to the hindrance of mechanical wounding to the entrance of exogenous JA. It was concluded from the combined data that a high accumulation of JA was required for inducing the secondary laticifer differentiation in H. brasiliensis.
