Physical and chemical changes in the developing hop cone

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Abstract
Data for dry-matter contents, minerals, nitrogen (total and protein), glucose, fructose, sucrose, starch, pentosans, solids soluble in petroleum ether, and alpha-resins, covering the four seasons, 1955 to 1958, are presented for hop flowers and developing cones. Accretion of dry matter, minerals, nitrogen, pentosans, and solids soluble in petroleum ether, was continuous during growth of the cone; the concentration on the dry-matter basis of calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen steadily decreased once the cones had been formed. Starch and sugars concentrations passed through distinct maxima, which occurred in the early stages of development of the cones to decrease to very low values at maturity. Soluble solids, alpha-resins and pentosans concentrations increased progressively with development until maturity, after which the first two constituents decreased. The amounts of starch and sugars per cone varied with development, and tended to decrease as the resins and pentosans increased. Although seasonal conditions doubtless affected the levels of given constituents at a specified stage of growth, yet the same pattern of variation in these levels during development was found in each season.

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