Changes in carbohydrates,amino acids and proteins in developing seed of chickpea

Developing seeds of chickpea cultivars G-130, L-550 and 850-3/27 grown under field conditions were sampled at different stages of maturity and analysed for soluble sugars, starch, soluble nitrogen, protein nitrogen and amino acids. Fr. wt of seeds of all three cultivars decreased after 28 days of flowering while the dry wt continued to increase. Rapid starch accumulation was observed between 14 and 28 days after flowering. Starch as per cent of seed dry wt started to decrease after 28 days, while starch per seed increased till maturity. The percentage of salt-soluble proteins decreased with maturation of seed. The electrophoretic pattern revealed that deposition of seed storage protein in cotyledons occurred 14 days after flowering. Most of the biochemical activity apparently occurred between 14 and 28 days after flowering.