Paper Chromatography of Sugars in Plants

Abstract

A chromatographic method for the qualitative and rough quantitative estimation of sugars and soluble phosphates in plants is described. Using this method, representatives of 27 families of Spermatophyta and 10 representatives of Algae have been examined. In Spermatophyta the total sugar content was found to be fairly high, with sucrose usually the main sugar, and glucose predominating over fructose. In Chlorophyta, the concentration and the nature of the sugars present were fairly similar to those in Spermatophyta. In Phaeo-phyta, Rhodophyta, and a diatom Nitzschia, the soluble sugar content was very low, with glucose usually being the main sugar. The distribution of sugars in aquatic Spermatophyta was similar to that of terrestrial Spermatophyta rather than that of Algae. When wheat leaves were detached and placed on water in darkness, subsequent metabolism of their sugars was found to be markedly affected by the conditions of illumination prior to leaf detachment. On illumination, detached wheat leaves accumulated large amounts of alcohol soluble fructosans, while attached leaves did not. In detached wheat leaves during prolonged starvation, soluble phosphates, both organic and inorganic began to accumulate after two days, indicating breakdown of some insoluble forms of phosphorus. By this time free sugars had completely disappeared, though sucrose reappeared in relatively large amounts on the third day and then declined again.

Effects of a Liquid Extract Derived from Ascophyllum nodosum on the Ultrastructure of Vitis vinifera Leaf Tissue

“…Some chemicals seem to penetrate by a diffusion process whereas lipophilic substances might penetrate by a process of solution. The chemical composition of GOEMILL, from Ascophyllum no osum, which has been shown to contain sugars (Bidwell et aL 1952), might explain an active and rapide uptake. Booth (1966Booth ( , 1969 has recorded some of the properties of seaweed fertilizers and liquid seaweed extracts.…”

On the Occurrence of Free Sugars in Lake Sediment Extracts

“…Bidwell, Krotkov, and Reed (1952) found this method to be accurate to within 20%. The accuracy, however, varies inversely with concentration for concentrations up to 40 pg per spot.…”

The Relation Between Free Sugars and Sedimentary Chlorophyll in Lake Muds

“…Sugars were analyzed by the chromatographic method of Bidwell, Krotkov and Reed ( 1952). The amounts of sugars are given as mg sugar per kg dry weight of ethanol insoluble sediment ( e.i.s.…”

“…(b) Another aliquot of the combined water and ethanol extracts was hydrolyzed with 3N HCI at 100°C for five minutes. The hydrolysate was deionized according to the method of Bidwell, Krotkov and Reed ( 1952) and then analyzed to give a measure of free sugars plus sugars released by hydrolysis.…”

“…Let us first consider their possible origins. The free sugar contents of plant tissues have been investigated by Bidwell, Krotkov and Reed ( 1952). These workers found that free sucrose was invariably present in fresh plant tissues, and free galactose always absent.…”