Unlike fruits (3), intact leaves were found to produce very small amounts of ethylene (1). Besides by stress effects and addition of growth regulators (3), these low ethylene production rates could be increased also by employing several sugars (2, 5). We have found that twelve naturally occurring carbohydrates could remarkably stimulate ethylene production rates in tobacco leaves. The present investigation demonstrates: (a) Characterization of the sugar-stimulated ethylene production system in tobacco leaf discs; and (b) Sites of sugar-stimulation in the ethylene biosynthesis pathway.
Unlike fruits (3), intact leaves were found to produce very small amounts of ethylene (1). Besides by stress effects and addition of growth regulators (3), these low ethylene production rates could be increased also by employing several sugars (2, 5). We have found that twelve naturally occurring carbohydrates could remarkably stimulate ethylene production rates in tobacco leaves. The present investigation demonstrates: (a) Characterization of the sugar-stimulated ethylene production system in tobacco leaf discs; and (b) Sites of sugar-stimulation in the ethylene biosynthesis pathway.