APPEARANCE OF LACTIC ACID IN PHASEOLUS SEEDS GERMINATING UNDER WET CONDITIONS

Under normal conditions of germination, there is never much lactate in bean cotyledons, but when beans are germinated under wet conditions lactate accumulates for about 30 h and then slowly disappears, as radicle emergence begins. Removal of the testae from soaked seeds prevents subsequent lactate accumulation. Lactate also appears in beans germinated under nitrogen.Lactate dehydrogenase activity is enhanced in wet or anaerobic conditions. Incubation with pyruvate increased lactate dehydrogenase by 50 per cent.There was also a temporary accumulation of alcohol in beans grown under wet conditions.Under wet conditions the production of respiratory carbon dioxide was particularly slow during the period of lactate accumulation. © 1969 Oxford University Press.