Sugar uptake and invertase activity in Dendrobium tissues

Abstract

Undifferentiated and differentiated tissues of Dendrobium exhibited no difference in their preference for sugars. The uptake of sugars was more rapid by undifferentiated tissue. Fructose provided the best carbon source for both tissues. Sucrose was hydrolysed before it was taken up, as the result of invertase activity. Both acid and alkaline invertase were present and invertase activity was detected in the soluble and cell wall fraction. There was a gradual increase in invertase activity of tissues grown in sucrose‐containing medium with time but not in tissues grown in fructose‐containing medium. Copyright © 1989, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved