Peroxidases during the course of callusing and organ differentiation from root explants ofCichorium intybus

Growth ofCichorium intybus root explants was accompanied by an important increase of fresh mass during the course of callusing and rooting. The absence of glucose in callus forming medium was compensated for by hydrolysis of storage carbohydrates of the tissues, inducing a decrease in dry mass. Protein content showed similar slight variations in explants during the course of budding and callusing, whereas an important increase of protein content was found during the first 48 h in explants cultured on root forming medium. Specific increase of soluble peroxidase activity during bud and root neoformation was found. A peak of peroxidase activity, proceeding the organ emergence, was always observed. This peak occurred earlier in bud forming than in root forming explants. Conversely, during callusing, the bulk peroxidase activity showed only weak variations, and no peak was detectable. Moreover one basic isoperoxidase was missing in these explants after a 6-d culture, whereas in both root and bud forming explants the isoperoxidase patterns were very similar. When explants growing on differentiation media were in darkness a supplementary basic isoperoxidase with the highest electrophoretic mobility was revealed.