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A Modified Procedure for Assay of Melilotic Acid in Sweetclover 1
Author(s) -
Akeson Walter R.,
Haskins F. A.,
Gorz H. J.
Publication year - 1962
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1962.0011183x000200060026x
Subject(s) - geneticist , library science , biology , computer science , genetics
clover shoots effect a rapid conversion of administered coumarin to melilotic acid (o-hydroxyhydrocinnamic acid). Although doubt has been expressed as to the existence of molecular coumarin in intact sweetclover tissues (3, 8), the closely related compounds, o-coumaric acid and coumarinic acid (the trans and cis isomers, respectively, of o-hydroxycinnamic acid) are clearly present in glucosidic form (2, and these compounds may possibly serve as normal precursors of melilotic acid. In previous studies on sweetclover (1) the glucosides of o-coumaric and coumarinic acids have been assayed together as bound coumarin, and the genetic control of bound coumarin level has been demonstrated. Because of the possible metabolic relationship between o-hydroxycinnamic and melilotic acids, genes influencing content of the former compound might reasonably be expected to affect level of the latter. Investigations of this and other problems concerning melilotic acid in sweetclover require an accurate assay method. Such a method is described in the present report.