COMPOSITION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE PIGMENT SYSTEM IN THE LEAVES OF WINTER-WHEAT DURING DEVELOPMENT

The relative content of various native forms of chlorophyll a and b in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) leaves during the growing season were examined. Although the positions of the main absorption peaks did not change, the relative content of the longwave forms increased conc urrently with the total chlorophyll content rise up to the flowering s tage and then declined during senescence. The content of the pigment-p rotein complexes of Photosystems I and II also changed nonmonotoniousl y and peaked at plant flowering. The content of the light-harvesting p igment-protein complex varied slightly during the growing season. A po ssible effect of changes in the pigment system on some modifications o f the dark photosynthetic metabolism in the course of plant growth and development is discussed.