TRYPTOPHAN, NIACIN, AND INDOLEACETIC ACID IN SEVERAL ENDOSPERM MUTANTS AND STANDARD LINES OF MAIZE

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Abstract
The tryptophan, niacin, and indoleacetic acid contents of mature maize endosperms of the genotypes waxy, sugary-1, brittle-1, brittle-2, shrunken-1, shrunken-2, and miniature seed from ears segregating for each were compared with values for normal kernels from the same ears. On a wt. basis brittle-2, shrunken-2, and miniature had tryptophan contents more than 2 times normal; sugary, brittle-1, brittle-2, shrunken-1, shrunken-2, and miniature had 1.6-5.1 times normal niacin content; and sugary, brittle-1, brittle-2, shrunken-1, and shrunken-2 had 1.6-2.6 times the total indoleacetic acid content of normal. On a kernel basis some of the differences disappeared, inasmuch as mutant kernels are characteristically smaller than normals. Except for shrunken-1 the difference in assay values for mutant and normal cannot be explained as due to simple arrested development, differences in size of kernels, or to storage of a given amt. of these substances per kernel irrespective of size.