Plastid Pigment Changes in the Early Seedling Leaves of Zea Mays L

Abstract

Changes in concentration of the major carotenoid pigments and chlorophylls in a strain of maize were followed over a 7-day period with controlled light and temperature. Beta carotene, neo-beta carotene, lutein, flavoxanthin, violaxanthin, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b were chromatographically isolated as separate pigments. In both dark-grown and light-grown material, neo-xanthin also was present in amounts comparable to of violaxanthin. However, no alpha carotene or zeaxanthin was found. In dark-grown plants, lutein was the most abundant carotenoid with violaxanthin, flavoxanthin, beta carotene and neo-beta carotene present in lesser amounts in the order listed. On the other hand, within 6 hours following illumination of dark-grown seedlings, concentrations of flavoxanthin, lutein and violaxanthin decreased and concentrations of beta carotene and neo-beta carotene increased. After 4 days of light, beta carotene and lutein were the most abundant carotenoid pigments; while neo-beta carotene, flavoxanthin and violaxanthin were present in lesser amounts in the order given. It was concluded that an environmental change can affect each component of the carotenoids in a different way or degree.