Light Sensitivity of Plastids and Plastid Pigments Present in the Albescent Maize Mutant

Abstract

Dark grown albescent corn seedlings are deficient in colored caro-tenoids, but accumulate phytoene, phytofluene and an unidentified substance in the carotenol fraction. They bleach upon exposure to bright light and appear albino. Seedlings grown under low level incandescent light are normal in appearance and contain almost as much colored carotenoid as control seedlings. The existing leaf tissue of seedlings grown under low level light does not bleach upon exposure to bright light. The enhanced carotenoid synthesis and stabilization of plastids is not affected by brief illumination with red light but requires several hours of low level incandescent light.