| Abstract: | Sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) plants were grown in refined sandat graded levels of copper ranging from acute deficiency (0.000325µg Cu cm–3) to excess (65 µg Cu cm–3).Visible effects of copper deficiency appeared up to 0-00065µg Cu cm–3and depression in growth up to 00065µCucm–3. Copper deficiency decreased the concentrations ofDNA and RNA and the activities of polyphenol oxidase, cytochrome-coxidase, catalase and aldolase; and it increased the activitiesof peroxidase, ribonuclease and acid phosphatase in leaves.The maximum sucrose concentration in roots was obtained at 0-65µCucm–3 Twenty four h after infiltration of a solution of 65µCucm–3into copper deficient leaves, the activities of cytochrome-coxidase and peroxidase had increased even in the presence ofcycloheximide but that of polyphenol oxidase increased onlyin the absence of this inhibitor. Key words: Beta vulgaris, Cu deficiency: Enzymes |
