Changes in nitrogenous compounds, carbohydrates and abscisic acid in Curcuma alismatifolia Gagnep. during dormancy

Stubbed rhizomes of Curcuma alismatifolia Gagnep. were kept at room tempera ture with good ventilation during their dormant period and then were random ly sampled at different stages of dormancy, i.e. stage 1 (beginning of dorm ancy), stage 2 (middle of dormancy) and stage 3 (late in dormancy with the buds sprouting). Fresh and dry weights, water content, nitrogen content and starch and total soluble sugar content decreased in the stubbed rhizome an d storage roots during dormancy. The rhizome was the principal organ for N storage and the storage roots were the major organ for carbohydrate storage . Arginine and glutamic acid were the predominant free amino acids in the r hizome and storage roots, respectively. Free abscisic acid in the rhizome i ncreased from stage 1 to 2 and then decreased by stage 3, while the concent ration in storage roots decreased continuously until buds sprouted.