Vitamin Patterns in the Development of Cucurbit Fruits

Quantitative determinations of thiamin, riboflavin and niacin were carried out on twelve cucurbit lines. Results of these analyses were utilized in studying vitamin concentration in relation to: (1) developmental patterns of fruits in a variety of cucurbit lines, (2) fruit size, (3) differentiation...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of botany 1947-11, Vol.34 (9), p.469-483
Main Author: Wilson, Katherine S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cell division
Cell growth
Cell lines
Diploidy
Fall lines
Flowering
Fruit
Fruits
Old Medline
Ovaries
Plant growth
Tetraploidy
Vitamins
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Summary:Quantitative determinations of thiamin, riboflavin and niacin were carried out on twelve cucurbit lines. Results of these analyses were utilized in studying vitamin concentration in relation to: (1) developmental patterns of fruits in a variety of cucurbit lines, (2) fruit size, (3) differentiation and development in separate regions of fruits, (4) developmental differences between fruits of diploid and comparable tetraploid races. A consistent downward trend in vitamin levels as fruits developed was the predominating pattern common to all cucurbit lines. High vitamin levels were generally correlated with the early period of growth by cell multiplication, and marked reduction in concentration of all vitamins was correlated with the later period of growth by cell expansion. Differences in vitamin concentration, specific for each line and vitamin, existed throughout development; in some cases correlations with developmental differences among lines were evident. Concurrent with the development of seeds, as fruits reached maturity, was an increase in thiamin concentration, specific in amount for each line. Fruits of all stages possessed greater concentrations of niacin than of thiamin or riboflavin. Throughout fruit development, vitamin concentrations were predominantly related to developmental age rather than to absolute size. In small-fruited lines there was a rapid reduction in vitamin concentration, correlated with a short period of cell expansion; in large-fruited lines, there was a slow decline in vitamin levels correlated with greater cell expansion and a longer expansion period; in both, differences in rate of vitamin reduction were related to differences in duration of a constant, high rate of growth which falls off only after vitamin concentrations have been reduced to low levels. It was pointed out that vitamin concentration through its effect on duration of growth may be among the factors which determine ultimate fruit size. The general pattern of vitamin concentration during the differentiation and development of separate fruit-regions was essentially the same as in whole fruits; the size at which reduction began, amount of reduction, and rate of decline were specific for each region and, to some extent, each vitamin. The vitamin pattern of the inner wall was more closely correlated than were those of other regions with the developmental pattern. As maturity was reached, the placental region increased in thiamin concentration regularly, the inner
ISSN:0002-9122
1537-2197
DOI:10.1002/j.1537-2197.1947.tb13019.x