Abstract:
WHEN a seed germinates, we expect the defensive secondary
compounds it contains to be transferred intact to the growing
seedling, or variously decomposed to produce resources for the
growing seedling. The seeds of wild indigenous Costa Rican lima
beans (Phaseolus lunatus L.) contain about 3.45% fresh weight
of linamarin1, a cyanogenic glucoside that can enzymatically
decompose to produce 0.37% fresh weight hydrocyanic acid
(HCN). We report here that, after germination, the amount of
linamarin in the total seedling (roots, cotyledons, and shoots)
remains essentially constant during a 26-day experimental
period and moreover corresponds to the amount of linamarin
present in the seed before germination.
