Biochemical and physiological aspects of leaf development in cocoa (Theobroma cacao). II. Development of chloroplast ultrastructure and carotenoids

A quantitative study of the changes in chloroplast ultrastructure and carotenoids was made during cocoa flush leaf development. Plastid length, breadth, number of grana per plastid, index of lamellae per plastid and the number of lamellae per granum all increased with chlorophyll content. The number...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe New phytologist Vol. 75; no. 3; pp. 513 - 518
Main Authors Baker, N.R, Hardwick, K, Jones, P
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Blackwell Science Publications 01.11.1975
Subjects
Carotenoids
Chlorophylls
Chloroplasts
Cocoa
Grana
Greening
Leaf development
Leaves
plant biochemistry
Plant cells
plant physiology
Plastids
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Summary:A quantitative study of the changes in chloroplast ultrastructure and carotenoids was made during cocoa flush leaf development. Plastid length, breadth, number of grana per plastid, index of lamellae per plastid and the number of lamellae per granum all increased with chlorophyll content. The number of chloroplasts per cell remained constant at three throughout leaf development. Lutein, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, α-carotene and β-carotene were the only carotenoids found in measureable amounts in cocoa leaves, and they all developed in parallel with chlorophyll. The phase of maximum chloroplast development in cocoa does not occur until after the termination of leaf expansion.
ISSN:0028-646X
1469-8137
DOI:10.1111/j.1469-8137.1975.tb01413.x