THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF GERMINATING SORGHUM AND MILLET GRAINS

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Abstract
The parenchyma tissues of ungerminated and germinated sorghum and millet grains contain abundant fat and protein deposits, which undergo various metabolic changes during germination and seedling growth. The presence of these and other organelles which are characteristic of the mature plant cell was confirmed by a combination of light and electron microscopy. During the early period of the germination process in the millet scutellum, evidence of starch synthesis was apparent, suggesting that fat to starch conversion possibly occurred in the cells of this tissue. In the endosperm of 72 h germinated sorghum and millet grains, starch degradation occurred although such degradation was more extensive in sorghum than in millet.