STUDIES OF NECTAR SECRETION IN EXCISED FLOWERS: I.THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURAL CONDITIONS ON QUANTITY AND COMPOSITION OF NECTAR

Abstract

Nectar secretion was studied in excised flowers of snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) grown in culture solution during the secretory period. The supply of sugar to the flower was regulated by varying the sugar concentration of the culture medium or the volume of medium entering the flower. Nectar sugar yield, as well as flower dry weight, was closely related to the sugar supply. Concentration of sugar in the nectar was almost identical with that of the medium, suggesting that osmotic work was not done by the nectaries. Sucrose consistently supported much higher yields of nectar than any of the other sugars tested, though many of the other sugars appeared to be assimilated as readily by the flower as sucrose. Sugar transformations occurred in nectar of flowers cultured on sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, galactose, mannose, and raffinose, but not in flowers supplied with xylose or sorbose. Sucrose spots were usually found in chromatograms of nectar in which transformations occurred. Despite the lack of evidence for the performance of osmotic work, the data are considered to support the recent suggestion by Frey-Wyssling that secretion results from metabolic activity in the nectary.