IS THERE A LINK BETWEEN GREENING AND LIGHT-ENHANCED GLYCOALKALOID ACCUMULATION IN POTATO (SOLANUM-TUBEROSUM L) TUBERS

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L) tubers (cvs Pentland Dell and Record) wer e treated with the chlorophyll biosynthesis inhibitors 4-amino-5-fluor opentanoic acid (AFPA) and 3-amino-2,3-dihydrobenzoic acid (gabaculine ), and subsequently exposed to daylight for up to 10 days prior to pig ment and glycoalkaloid analysis. AFPA inhibited the accumulation of to tal chlorophyll (Chi) by between 50 and 70% in both cultivars througho ut the duration of light exposure. The synthesis of Chi b was inhibite d by over 80% in both cultivars. Neither inhibitor had a significant e ffect on light-enhanced glycoalkaloid accumulation. It is concluded th at there is no direct metabolic link between Chi and glycoalkaloid bio synthesis. (C) 1998 SCI.