Changes in membrane polar lipids associated with bud break in apple induced by nitroguanidines

The predominant lipids in membranes obtained from apple buds were galacto- and phospholipids. The major galactolipid components in apple bud were monogalactosyl diglyceride (MGDG) and digalactosyl diglyceride (DGDG). Phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were the major phospholipids in the apple buds. -Linolenic acid (C 18:3) was the major fatty acid in MGDG, DGDG, and PC. Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) is the only lipid to contain significant amounts of palmitic acid (C 16:0) in the dormant buds. An increase in the galacto- and phospholipids and the ratio of the unsaturated fatty acids to the corresponding saturated fatty acids of the buds occurred as a result of induction by 1-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-3-nitroguanidine or 1-(-ethylbenzyl)-3-nitroguanidine during bud break. The identities of fatty acids in apple buds were confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.