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BIOCHEMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF LEAF DEVELOPMENT IN COCOA ( THEOBROMA CACAO )
Author(s) -
BAKER N. R.,
HARDWICK K.,
JONES P.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1975.tb01413.x
Subject(s) - plastid , violaxanthin , theobroma , chloroplast , carotenoid , biology , neoxanthin , botany , chlorophyll , lutein , photosynthesis , chromoplast , ultrastructure , carotene , horticulture , biochemistry , zeaxanthin , gene
SUMMARY A quantitative study of the changes in chloroplast ultrastructure and carotenoids was made during cocoa flush leaf development. Plastid length, breadth, number of grana per plastid, index of lamellae per plastid and the number of lamellae per granum all increased with chlorophyll content. The number of chloroplasts per cell remained constant at three throughout leaf development. Lutein, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, α‐carotene and †‐carotene were the only carotenoids found in measureable amounts in cocoa leaves, and they all developed in parallel with chlorophyll. The phase of maximum chloroplast development in cocoa does not occur until after the termination of leaf expansion.