Effect of Various Light Treatments on Chlorophyll Formation in Excised Potato Roots

Potato root tips were grown in cultures and the effect of blue, red, and white light on chlorophyll formation was studied. The roots grown in white light turned green in 4–6 weeks, whereas in blue or red light, green colour occasionally appeared at places. The chlorophyll contents, as determined by the spectrophotometeric method, were found to be maximum in unfiltered light followed by blue and red light. In white and blue light treatments chlorophyll a contents were higher than chlorophyll b, however in red light this was reversed. The results are compared with earlier experiments on chlorophyll formation in excised roots.