Studies on Tobacco Alkaloids. I. Changes in Nicotine and Nornicotine Content in Nicotiana.

Abstract

The nicotine and nornicotine content of N. glutinosa was followed from seed to maturity in nutrient culture in the greenhouse. In all instances nornicotine was found as early or earlier in the root than in the seedling shoot. As growth advanced nornicotine became the predominant alkaloid in the leaves, but nicotine remained predominant in the stem and root. No nicotine could be found in leaves the last two weeks before harvest, though nornicotine continued to increase. Similar results were obtained with Robinson Medium Broadleaf, a variety of N. tabacum known to contain considerable quantities of nornicotine. In this case the nornicotine was less predominant in the leaves than in N. glutinosa. Certain of the results obtained raised the possibility that some nornicotine may have been synthesized without passing through the nicotine stage.