Sucrose accumulation and expression of enzyme activities in early and mid-late maturing sugarcane genotypes

• DOI: 10.1007/s12355-008-0057-2
• Publication Date: 2009-02-03T13:20:06Z
• Authors: Suresh K. Batta; Naveen C. Pant; K. S. Thind; S. K. Uppal
• Keywords: Sucrose-phosphate synthase; Cane

Metabolic changes in the contents of sucrose and hexoses in relation to activities of the principal enzymes involved in accumulation of sucrose in internodal storage tissue have been investigated in four sugarcane genotypes varying in maturity behaviour viz. Sel 69/01, Sel 943/98 (both early maturing) and CoS 8436, Sel 17/00 (both mid-late maturing) at different physiological stages of crop growth. In storage tissue, the higher rate of decline in the activity of soluble acid invertase (pH 5.5) with age of cane resulted in faster rate of sucrose accumulation in early maturing sugarcane genotypes and was related to higher sink strength of these genotypes. Unlike soluble acid invertase, the activity of soluble neutral invertase increased with cane maturation in each of the genotypes. The wall-bound acid invertase (pH 5.5) showed maximum activity at stem elongation stage. Mid-late maturing genotypes showed higher activity of this enzyme than early maturing genotypes. No relationship was observed between the activities of sucrose synthase, sucrose phosphate synthase and maturity behaviour of the genotypes.