Department of Plant PhysiologyG.B. Pant University of Agriculture and TechnologyPantnagar (Naini Tal), U.P., India
Six varieties of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L.) seeds were found to contain 53-59 percent starch and 2-4 per cent soluble sugars of dry weight During their germination the degradation of starch was mainly due to the activities of phosphorylase and α-amylase. Electrophoresis revealed only one molecular form of amylase and phosphorylase. Two distinct phases of starch depletion were recognized; first slow, during which phosphorylase activity was at its maximum, and the second, rapid, which coincided with the maximal activity of α-amylase.
