ACTIVITIES OF HYDROLYTIC ENZYMES IN CALLUS-CULTURES OF TOBACCO DURINGORGANOGENESIS

Starch, total sugars, reducing sugars and protein contents and the spe cific activities of hydrolytic enzymes such as amylase, phosphorylase, soluble acid invertase, wall-bound acid invertase, sucrose synthetase , acid and alkaline phosphatases and ribonuclease were determined in r oot forming, shoot forming and non-organ-forming callus cultures of to bacco. Organ-forming cultures not only showed higher amounts of the ab ove metabolites but also higher enzyme activities compared to non-orga n-forming cultures. The activities of these enzymes in relation to org anogenesis is discussed.