On the Light Requirement for Betalain Biogenesis

Abstract

Anithocyanins and betalain's' represent 2 major classes of red plant pigments which occtur in cell vacuoles. The biogenesis of the wide,spread and weltl known anthocyanins [typical is the red rose pigment, cyanin (I)] requires light in many butt not all plant's which normally produce them (1, 5). We repoiit here our observations that betalain biosynthesis does not reqtuire light in most of the species examineld in the present investigatbion, although light does affect the quantlities of pigments produced.