Metabolic Changes in After-Ripening Seed of Prunus cerasus
1Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Plant Physiology
|April 1, 1967
Abstract:
Metabolic changes were studied in embryonic axes and cotyledons isolated from after-ripening seeds of Prunus cerasus. During the seventh week of after-ripening, a striking increase in the respiration rate at 25 degrees of embryonic axes occurred along with a sharp change from the dormant to non-dormant state of the seed. On the basis of C-6/C-1 ratio determinations this change may be related to an increased activity of the pentose phosphate cycle.
Related Concept Videos
01:58Fruit Development, Structure, and Function
Fruits form from a mature flower ovary. As seeds develop from the ovules contained within, the ovary wall undergoes a series of complex changes to form fruit. In some fruits, such as soybeans, the ovary wall dries; in other fruits, such as grapes, it remains fleshy. In some cases, organs other than the ovary contribute to fruit formation; such fruits are called accessory fruits.
01:57Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
Though evaporation from plant leaves drives transpiration, it also results in loss of water. Because water is critical for photosynthetic reactions and other cellular processes, evolutionary pressures on plants in different environments have driven the acquisition of adaptations that reduce water loss.
02:33Seed Structure and Early Development of the Sporophyte
Seed structures are composed of a protective seed coat surrounding a plant embryo, and a food store for the developing embryo. The embryo contains the precursor tissues for leaves, stem, and roots. The endosperm and cotyledons—seed leaves—act as the food reserves for the growing embryo.