Germination 3 Carbohydrate changes 4 The glyoxylate cycle and germination 6 Mono-and Oligosaccharide Metabolism 8 Sucrose 9 Raffinose and stachyose 14 Maltose 19 Melibiose 20 Fructose, glucose, and galactose 21 Fresh Weight Changes during Germination 24 Dry Weight Changes during Germination 26 MATERIALS AND METHODS 30 Fresh and Dry Weight Studies Planting method Sampling 31 Carbohydrate Studies 31 Carbohydrate extraction Chromatography Procedure Detection of sugars Quantitative determination of resolved sugars 34 Sugar Uptake and Translocation Studies Radioactive sugars Sugar uptake method Translocation study Carbohydrate extraction and chromatography Radioautogram and radioautography Determination of radioactivity 38 iii Page RESULTS 39 Changes in Water Content during Germination 39 Changes in the Dry Matter during Germination 43 Carbohydrate Metabolism 47 The dry seed 47 Carbohydrate changes in the seed coats following imbibition 47 Carbohydrate changes in the cotyledon during germination 51 Carbohydrate changes in the embryonic axis 58 Carbohydrate changes in the hypocotyl 62 Carbohydrate changes in the apical meristem 66 Carbohydrate changes in the root 66 Carbohydrate changes in the whole seedling Uptake and Translocation of ^^C-Labeled Sugars ^^C-Activity of filter papers C-Activity in ethanol soluble fraction Fructose-U-l^C