Auxin Storage as Related to Endosperm Type in Maize

Abstract

The free auxin content of dormant endosperms of brittle, waxy, floury, popcorn and Canada flint vars. of corn ranges from the equivalent of 2.6 to 6.4 [gamma] of indoleacetic acid (IAA) per gram of tissue, and the auxin precursor (an as yet unidentified compound which upon alkaline hydrolysis yields auxin) from 30 to 55; sugar corn endosperm has 15 and 119 of free and precursor auxin, respectively. Immature sweet corn kernels of dry-pack canned or frozen corn have the equivalent of ca. 300 [mu]g. IAA per gram dry wt. of tissue. Authors conclude that ontogenetically identical tissues (endosperm) from different vars. of the same species may store markedly different amts. of auxin.