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Pigment Accumulation and Photosynthesis in Developing Rye Coleoptiles
Author(s) -
Bette A.,
Kutschera U.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
botanica acta
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.871
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1438-8677
pISSN - 0932-8629
DOI - 10.1111/j.1438-8677.1996.tb00563.x
Subject(s) - coleoptile , secale , photosynthesis , carotenoid , chlorophyll , botany , biology , darkness , horticulture
Rye seedlings (Secale cereale L.) were grown in darkness or irradiated with white light (WL) of medium intensity (100 μmol quanta . m −2 . s −1 ). In the coleoptile and primary leaf of irradiated plants synthesis of chlorophylls a and b with average ratios of 2.4 and 2.7, respectively, were measured. The chlorophyll content of the fully green primary leaf was about 10‐fold larger than that of the pale green coleoptile. In darkness a large increase in carotenoid content occurred in the primary leaf, but in the coleoptile the level of carotenoids remained very low. In both organs a WL‐induced increase in carotenoid synthesis was observed. The level of anthocyanin was likewise enhanced by WL. In the coleoptile and primary leaf of irradiated seedlings light‐dependent oxygen evolution was measured. The specific activity of the enzyme ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase was enhanced after WL treatment. The results indicate that the mature rye coleoptile is a photosynthetically active plant organ.