Sulla stimolazione da Saccarosio della Crescita di Cotiledoni Isolati di Semi di Ricino germinanti

Abstract

The effect of sugars on growth of isolated cotyledons from germinating castor bean seeds. — The presence of sugars in the medium induces a number of biochemical and physiological changes in the cotyledons isolated from germinating castor bean seeds. In the present research, the extent and the mechanism of the effect of sugars on growth of the isolated cotyledons was investigated.

The results achieved may be summarized as follows:

• Sucrose markedly stimulates the growth (as increase of fresh weight) of the isolated cotyledons; its action is already apparent when using a 10^-2M concentration and reaches a maximum (stimulation by about 400%) for the concentration between 5.10^-2M and 1,5.10^-3M. The increase of sucrose induced growth is due in almost equal proportions to water uptake and to increase of dry weight.

• The difference (Δ P.O.) between the osmotic pressure (P.O.) of the cell sap and that of the external medium is markedly higher for the cotyledons treated with sucrose (7–8 atm.) than the Δ P.O. of cotyledons incubated in water.

• Analyses of cell contents in sugars show that sucrose is taken up by the cotyledon cells against a concentration gradient. The increase of the difference of osmotic pressure between cotyledon and the external medium is satisfactorily accounted for by this active accumulation of sugars.

• When mannitol is added to the incubating medium in addition to sucrose, the active uptake of sugar is not disturbed; but the effect of sucrose on growth decreases, and it completly disappears when mannitol concentration in the medium is such, to make the value of Δ P.O. for the cotyledons in sucrose plus mannitol equal to the Δ P.O. for the cotyledons incubated in water.

• Besides increasing the P.O. in the cotyledons, sucrose markedly accelerates the decrease of free aminoacid in the isolated cotyledons.

• Auxin (β—indolacetic acid) does not stimulate, or stimulates weakly, growth of the cotyledon incubated in water; some stimulation can be observed only when sucrose is present. Gibberellic acid stimulates growth (though to a much lower extent than sucrose) in the cotyledons in water, while its action does no longer appear when sugar is present.

The decrease of free aminoacid together with other observations, indicates an effect of sucrose on protein metabolism; however, growth stimulation by sucrose seems to depend essentially on its active accumulation - against a concentration gradient - and thuson the increase of osmotic pressure. It is thus suggested that in these tissues osmotic pressure is the most important factor in limiting growth by cell extension.