Author(s): M.O. Basalah, A.A.A. Suleiman and Sher Mohammad
Article publication date: 1985-09-01
Vol. 3 No. 2 (yearly), pp. 49-56.
175
Keywords
leaves, sucrose, invertase
Abstract
Healthy and diseased leaves of Medicago sativa L. contained less reducing sugars, sucrose, polysaccharides and total carbohydrates than those of Tephrosia appolinea (Del.) Link. After infection by Uromyces striatus, total carbohydrates increased in both Medicago sativa and Tephrosia appolinea leaves and reducing sugars were unchanged. Sucrose content decreased in T. appolinea and increased in M. sativa. The activity of invertase was found to be greater than that of alpha-amylase in both plant leaves. Invertase activity increased and alpha-amylase activity decreased after rust infection in leaves of both plants. Increased invertase activity and decreased sucrose content on infection suggest the occurrence of either phloem unloading or decreased export of photosynthetic products.