Excised Corn Roots Research Articles

Effect of Autolized Yeast and Peptone on Growth of Excised Corn Root Tips in the Dark

1. Corn roots attached to the grain grow much more rapidly under sterile conditions in the dark in Pfeffer's solution plus 2 per cent glucose than do root tips detached from the grain. 2. When excised root tips of corn are grown under sterile conditions for about two weeks in the dark in Pfeffer's solution plus 2 per cent glucose, and their root tips are severed and transferred to fresh solutions at intervals: (a) growth stops in the third period; (b) the addition of peptone or autolized yeast permits the root tips to grow for 4-6 periods; (c) a concentration of 200 ppm of gelatine, 100 ppm of creatinine, 79 ppm of glycocoll, 50 ppm of asparagin, or the corn embryo extract used show no beneficial effect; (d) in Pfeffer's solution lacking nitrates and containing 2 per cent glucose a little less total growth is made than in Pfeffer's solution containing nitrates and 2 per cent glucose; (e) approximately 400 ppm of peptone is more efficient than 200 ppm; (f) autolized yeast is more beneficial than peptone; (...