Occurrence of Globoid Crystals in Cotyledonary Protein Bodies of Pisum sativum as Influenced by Experimentally Induced Changes in Mg, Ca and K Contents of Seeds

Abstract

In many species globoid crystals in protein bodies of seeds are very common while in other species they are rarely observed. A review of literature suggested that the balance between divalent (Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺) and monovalent (K⁺) cations may be important in determining whether or not globoid crystals will form. To test this hypothesis, experiments were carried out to add Mg and Ca, or Ca alone, to pods developing on K-deficient pea plants. While it was possible to cause a reduction in K concentration and increases in Mg and Ca concentrations, any changes to the normal mineral storage pattern in pea cotyledons were remarkably small. In some treatments, statistically significant increases in the ratio (Mg + Ca)/K were obtained and the sample with the greatest increase was examined in detail by electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. In this sample globoid crystals were common, in contrast to their normally rare occurrence in pea cotyledonary tissue.