Sucrose esters coleoptiles

Planet, and, microbial responses with the sucroae esters. In addition to the above we have conducted experiments on the effects of the sucrose esters on plants and microorganisms and we report these data for the first time. However it should be reiterated that the sucrose esters were composed of acetic (C2) 2- and 3-methylbutyric (C5) and 3-methylvaleric (C6) acids and only the glucose molecule was ester if ied the fructose portion remained in the free hydroxyl state. Also the sucrose esters were extremely difficult to separate so that mixtures were initially obtained and tested. We shall see in the wheat coleoptiles bioassay that as the number of 3-methylvalerate residues decreases in the glucose moiety so the level of biological activity decreases at the 10 4 M level though in all cases there is 100Z inhibition at 10 3 m (Figure 7). 

None of the sucrose ester mixtures were active against the fungi lunata and A flavua. neither were they active against the gram negative .. coli and in later experiments cloacae and freundii. However they were active against subtil is and as with the wheat coleoptile bioassays the activity appeared to be related to the number of 3-methylvalerate residues on the... 

Figure 7. Effects of sucrose ester mixtures isolated from the cuticular components of tobacco TI 16 5 on the growth of etiolated wheat (X aestivum L. cv Vakeland) coleoptiles. Significant inhibition (P<0.01) below solid line. Control broken line. (Refer to Figure 6 for details).

The leaf surface of tobacco produces many interesting and varied compounds that possess interesting biological properties We are presently studying other sucrose esters from tobacco plants that are inhibitory to etiolated wheat coleoptiles and which are more active than the 3-methylvalerate sucrose esters against microorganisms They will be the topic of future reports ... 

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