Etioplast-chloroplast transformation in maize leaves: Effects of tissue age and light intensity

Summary The effects of light intensity and cell age on the greening of etioplasts were studied in seedlings of maize.We could see that in the youngest tissues examined by us the etioplast greening is very fast and occurs according to a particular pattern which is characterized by the contemporary presence of grana and large non crystalline prolamellar bodies. On the contrary, in the oldest examined tissues the etioplast greening is slow and the formation of grana appears to be delayed and subsequent to the using up of the prolamellar bodies.In the young tissues the intensity of the light mainly affects the duration of the lag-phase preceding the chlorophyll accumulation, while in the old tissues it also affects the total amount of chlorophyllous pigments, the restraining effect of the light appearing amplified by a concomitant restraining effect of cell age.Supported by a grant of C.N.R.