Changes of Reserve Foods in Seeds of Kuromatu (Pinus Thunbergii PARL.) during the Course of Germination
摘要
1. In order to investigate the changes in the amount of the reserve foods in the seed of Kuromatu (Pinus Thunbergii PARL.) during germination, some quantitative analyses were carried out for fats, total nitrogen, total sugars and starch. Samples were taken at seven different stages in the course of germination, the embryo and the endosperm were analyzed separately. 2. The reserve foods in the dormant seed consisted of fats and protein with small quantity of sugars and others. 3. With the process of germimation the fats decreased in both the embryo and the endosperm. The most of the nitrogen moved from the endosperm to the embryo but its decrease in the entire seed was little during the course of germination as are usually seen in other oily seeds. 4. Although the most of changes occured after the radicle appeared, a slight decrease in the contents of fats and increase of total nitrogen were observed in the embryo during the first two days after the seeds were placed in a germinator. It is supposed that these changes are due to decomposition of fats in the embryo and movement of nitrogen from the endosperm. 5. The course of decrease of the fats was similar to that of the nitrogen in the endosperm, suggesting the existence of certein relations between them. The writers are indebted to Professor Dr. Kentaro NAKAMURA, Assistant Professor Taisitiroo SATOO for their kind guidance throughout the investigation and to Assistant Professor Kyoji MINAMI for his kindness in reading the original manuscript.