Effect of Vanadium on Growth, Chemical Composition, and Metabolic Processes of Mature Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) Plants

As measured 7, 14, and 21 days after the application of 10⁻² M vanadyl sulfate solution to the foliage of 4.5-month-old sugar beet plants, significantly less growth of the leaves and an increase in the sucrose content of the storage root resulted. Accompanying these alterations were a higher rate of carbon dioxide fixation, a lower rate of respiration, and a decreased rate of nitrate reductase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, phosphatase, and invertase activity. The enzymes of sucrose synthesis, sucrose synthetase, sucrose phosphate synthetase and uridine diphosphate glucose-pyrophosphorylase were stimulated. The content of reducing sugar, nitrite N, amino acids and protein was less, and that of nitrate N was greater in the vanadium-treated plants. In the majority of cases the greatest magnitude of change occurred during the first 7 days following treatment. The changes in growth and chemical composition are believed to be closely related to the stimulation or inhibition of the various enzymes by vanadyl sulfate.