MALONIC ACID AS AN INHIBITOR OF MAIZE ROOT RESPIRATION

Abstract

Early experiments on the effects of malonate on plant respiration led to contradictory results which were largely resolved by the work of BONNER and WILDMAN (3), TURNER and HANLY (18), and LATiES (8) who showed -that pH conditions affected the response to the inhibit6r. It is now clear that for some plant tissues at least, under appropriate conditions of pH and malonate concentration, 02 uptake is retarded and accumulation of succinic acid occurs (2, 7). Other evidence (5) has also been obtained which sup- ports the view that the oxidation of pyruvate in plants occurs through a cycle which can be slowed down by malonate, but there are no records of the accumulation of other compounds in the presence of the inhibitor.