NICOTINIC ACID AND THE GROWTH OF ISOLATED PEA EMBRYOS

Abstract

Pea embryos were isolated from ungerminated pea seeds and grown on synthetic medium, in the dark, under sterile conditions. It is shown, confirming earlier work, that vitamin B1 added to the medium under these conditions increases the root growth of the embryos, and that the growth of the shoot is also increased. Nicotinic acid added to the medium exerts a similar effect on the growth of the shoot. Vitamin B1 and nicotinic acid together bring about a larger increase of shoot growth than does either growth factor alone. Nicotinic acid added to the medium for the cultivation of isolated pea roots increases the growth of such roots in the presence of adequate vitamin B1. The effect of nicotinic acid upon the shoot growth of isolated embryos may then be only indirect and due to the pro-motive effect of nicotinic acid upon roet growth.