National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow
Changes in the concentration of amino acids during maturation and ripening of grape Cv Perlette were examined by two dimensional descending chromatography. In all 14 amino acids including an unidentified one were detected at maturity. Argi-nine, alanine, glycine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, isoleucine and valine were present throughout the development of the berries while proline, threonine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine and cystine were absent during early stages of berry growth. Glutamic acid was found as major amino acid during pre-lag and lag phases of berry development. The concentration of most amino-acids remained stationary until lag phase. With the inception of post-lag phase or ripening processes of berries, the concentration of free amino acids began to increase rapidly. At maturity the concentration of arginine was highest followed by proline, glutamic acid, alanine, isoleucine and aspartic acid.
