The reaction: Chlorophyll + Enzyme → Chlorophyllide + Phytol follows a first order kinetics with regard to the quantity of enzyme, when it is saturated by substrate. K_m and V_m were determined from the average reaction rates for the substrates: Chlorophylla andb, pheophytina andb, methylchlorophyllidea and methylpheophorbide a: The lowest K_m corresponded to chlorophylla and the highest V_m to methylpheophorbidea. For a substrate of chlorophyll (a + b), K_m and V_m were determined also using the initial reaction rates. "Enzyme efficiency" was calculated using both methods of determination. The reaction products partially inhibit the hydrolytic process.

Wheat seedlings were cultivated in nutrient solutions containing 10^-3 M CCC, 10^-3 M CEPA or 5 × 10^-4 M CCO and CEPA, respectively. CCC applied alone or mixed with CEPA increased chlorophyll content per unit fresh matter but had no influence on the epinastio response of the primary leaf. In contrast, CEPA had no influence on chlorophyll content but greatly increased the epinastic response. The different response to the application of these substances with regard to chlorophyll content ha been claimed in a previous paper to be due to their different effect on cell extension and cell division. The epinastic response of the primary leaf suggests that ethylene participates in the reaction chain of CEPA effect on plant tissues.

The investigation of the substrate specificity of the anionic peroxidase isoenzymes, isolated from the zone of differentiation of the primary roots ofZea mays, for some representatives of phenolic compounds and aromatic amines, as hydrogen donors, is reported. The investigation was carried out electrophoretically with peroxidase isoenzymes partially purified by a combination of gel filtration by Sephadex G-25 and Sephadex G-100. A difference in the substrate specificity of the individual isoenzymes is observed. It was established that the anionic peroxidase isoenzymes showed a similarity in total number and relative activity on staining with bivalent phenols and difference on staining with trivalent phenols, as hydrogen donors. A greater number of isoenzymes was stained with benzidine ando-dianisidine and a lesser number witho- andp-phenylendiamine. The substrate specificity of the peroxidase isoenzymes was compared for guaiacol and benzidine. The substrate specificity of peroxidase soenzymes was discussed as regards their diverse role in the plant metabolism.

Inoubation of thin slioes ofTaraxacum root segments in 3-indoleaoetic acid solutions enhanced the level of total proteins, RNA, DNA and a number of enzymes reaching an optimum at 0.01 mg 1^-1. It has been shown that the auxin promotes the synthesis of DNA, again with an optimum promotion at 0.01 mg 1^-1 IAA.

The influence of phenolic and humic acids on the activity of glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase in the roots of pea under aseptic conditions has been investigated. It seems clear that vanillic and protocatechuic acids inhibit the enzyme activity in the excised roots of pea, but their dry weight increases in relation to the control. Gallic acid stimulates the G-6-PD activity in the roots of whole plants. The humic acids influence neither the enzyme activity nor the dry weight of pea seedlings after short-term treatment.

The effect of 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP), NaN₃, and iodoacetic acid (IDA) on glutamine synthetase (GS) and the effect of arsenate on GS, glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and nitrate reductase (NR) was studied in isolated pea roots. In sucrose supplied roots, GS level is depressed by higher concentrations of all the inhibitors tested and increased by lower (2 × and 3 × 10^- M) concentrations of 2,4-DNP; the decrease in GS level caused by sugar starvation is enhanced by all but IDA. GDH is enhanced by arsenate in a wider range of concentrations in sucrose-supplied roots than in roots cultivated without sucrose. NR is affected by arsenate similarly as GS.

Germination inPhaseolus trilobus is controlled by different moisture levels of seeds. The hard seed coatedness which develops secondarily can be removed by pretreatment with oonc. H₂SO₄. This also enhanced the onset of seed germination.

Carbohydrate changea in drought resistant and susceptible cultivars ofZea mays L. were studied at two different stages under imposed water stress in water culture experiments. The gradual decline in total carbohydrates with increasing stress levels was observed. At the 1st leaf stage starch content of the resistant cv. Agati-76 was lower than that of susceptible cv. Vijay but the reducing and non-reducing sugar content was much higher. At the 3rd leaf stage starch content was similar in two cultivars but sugar content was higher in the resistant cv. Agati-76. Differential changes in root and shoot carbohydrates as affected by increasing levels of stress were noticed. Carbohydrate changes have been discussed in relation to drought resistance.

Both N,N-diethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)glycine (DEHEG) and N,N-diethyl-2-oxomorpholinium chloride (DEOMC) in an optimal dosage of 4 × l0 μmoles per seedling initially accelerated then retarded leaf growth in onion, and doubled the yield of bulbs in field conditions. Gibberellin and auxin nullified the latter effect. It is concluded that DEHEG represents a physiologically active form of DEOMC.

³H-thymidine incorporation and DNA-polymerase activity during early hours of wheat embryo germination at two viability levels have been studied. The patterns of two biosynthetic activities, as well as the dependence of DNA synthesis on protein synthesis, indicated the presence of a delay in the early phase of imbibition of the aged embryos with respect to viable germs.

When flax seedlings are decapitated above cotyledons and three days later one of the two cotyledons is removed then the remaining cotyledon stimulates in four to five days growth of its axillary bud. It has been found that content of endogenous cytokinins was higher in the stimulated bud as compared with the other one already 12 h after the cotyledon removal.
Flax seedlings decapitated under cotyledons regenerate adventitious buds on thy hypocotyl stump during 5-6 days. The endogenous fytohormonal preparation of this regeneration was investigated in the 20 mm apical part of the hypocotyl stump. Decrease in auxin and increase in gibberellins was already found during the first day after decapitation while the level of cytokinins increased as late as three days after the apex removal.

Ten taxa of the genusPisum were examined by disc electrophoresis in gels according to Davis and to Reisfeldet al. For evaluation of band patterns the Jaccard Index was applied.
The results in both types of gels show thatPisum abyssinicum and especiallyP. fulvum have biochemically a relatively isolated position.Pisum elatius and its subspeciescaspicum andpalestinicum form a subgroup withP. cinereum;P. sativum var.zeylanicum and cv. Jupiter form another subgroup withP. syriacum.
Our results are in good agreement with the results of Przybylskaet al. (with the exception ofP. cinereum) and also with immunoelectrophoretic analyses performed by Turkováet al. (1980), with the same exception.

Height growth ofMentha piperita L. is better at 44% than 100% daylight. At 14% daylight, growth is limited, probably by lack of photosynthate, and no flowering occurs. Specific leaf area and protein content increase significantly with the decrease of irradiance. Shade leaves contain more chlorophyll and potassium than sun leaves. Sun leaves show higher levels of calcium because of their more xeromorphic structure. Transfer experiments between light and shade indicate thatM. piperita responds very effectively to irradiance also in a late stage of the life cycle with changes of specific leaf area and chlorophyll content.

Extracts from the roots ofBoerhaavia diffusa L., stems ofCuscuta reflexa Roxb. or leaves ofEuphorbia hirta L. have shown a potential protective effect on the infection of potato virus X, in hypersensitive and systemic hosts. The inhibition by these extracts was systemic and sensitive to actinomycin D.

The xylem pressure potential (Ψ_xylem) of the leaves ofQuercus cerris, Acer campestre andCarpinus betulus was measured under anticyclonic weather types. The autocorrelation analysis revealed the daily course of the Ψ_xylem values approaching the stationary random process. A close statistical relation was found between the results obtained in three successive measurements of the Ψ_xylem (interval 2 h). A close statistical relation also between the value of the base potential (Ψ_b) measured at dawn and the actual values of the Ψ_xylem allowed the prediction of the Ψ_xylem values on the base of the known Ψ_b-values by means of a simple linear regression model.

Growth parameters and esterase isoenzyme patterns were studied in developing cotton fibre. Fibre length and dry weight when plotted against boll age showed four distinct stages; (i) initiation, (ii) elongation, (iii) secondary thickening, and (iv) maturation. Stage specificity and changing intensities of esterase isoenzyme suggested a finely modulated control of gene expression during fibre development.

Light was required for induction of nitrate reductase (NR, E.C. 1.6.6.1) in intact cotyledons of 2-day old seedlings ofLactuca sativa L. Molybdate strongly enhanced efficiency of induction. Benzyladenine (BA), gibberellin, and succinic acid-2,2-dimethylhydrazide reduced the enzyme activity. BA thrice enhanced incorporation of labelled leucine to the protein fraction. (2-chloroethyl)trimethylammonium chloride did not affect NR activity and markedly inhibited greening and protein synthesis. KNO₃ stimulated protein synthesis as well as growth of the cotyledons.

Anaerobic nitrite production (thein vivo NO₃-R activity) in an incubation medium lacking exogenous nitrate but containing 0.5%n-propanol and 0.1% Triton X-100 showed higher correlation (y - ax^b) with the level of endogenous nitrate inPisum sativum L. leaves than thein vitro nitrate reductase activity. Thein vivo NO₃-R activity correlated well with thein vitro activity up to the 50 ppm NO₃-N level of endogenous nitrate. The ratioin vivo: in vitro activity slightly decreased with increasing level of endogenous nitrate in leaf tissue.

The P uptake inAzolla pinnata in mineral medium increased linearly with increasing phosphate doses and optimum growth and chlorophyll content of fern were recorded at 1.2 mM of K₂HPO₄. The higher doses of phosphate reduced growth and chlorophyll, but an increase in soluble sugar and amino nitrogen was noticed. Addition of combined nitrogen sources decreased the fern growth, soluble sugar, chlorophyll and heterocyst frequency but amino nitrogen was comparatively higher. The growth and chlorophyll content were always high when the fern was grown in the absence of added nitrogen sources; this supports the thesis about the specific importance of symbiosis for the nutrition of fern with nitrogen which cannot be replaced by mineral compounds.

The effects of lead, sodium chloride and sulphur dioxide, single and combined, on water content ofHypogymnia physodes (L.)Nyl. andXanthoria parietina (L.) Th. Fr. were studied. Lead, sodium chloride and their combinations, reduced water content in lichens, this reduction being partially correlated with the decrease of pollutant-influenced photosynthesis.

Both chlorcholinchloride and ethrel are used as growth retardants in cereal cultivation. Wheat seedlings were cultivated in nutrient solutions containing 10^-3M CCC, CEPA or 5 × 10^-4M CCC and CEPA, respectively. The epidermis of full-grown primary leaves was analysed.
CCC relatively equally decreases the length of leaves and long epidermal cells, whereas CEPA mainly inhibits cell division. Leaf growth is always a little more inhibited than the number of stomata and trichomes is reduced by CCC or CEPA. This results in an increased frequency of stomata and trichomes by about 14 to 16 per cent. This means that retardants can strongly influence the length of leaves and the length or number of long epidermal cells but, due to the mechanism of programmed determination, the frequency of stomata and trichomes is kept constant within relatively narrow limits. Furthermore it can be concluded that long epidermal cells function as pace-makers in the growth of leaves of monocotyledonous plants.