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In Vitro Cultures of Maize Endosperm — A Model System for Studying In Vivo Starch Biosynthesis¹

In vitro cultures of maize (Zea mays L.) endosperm derived from the dent inbred A636 have been maintained in culture for over three years. Tissue growing in liquid media containing 2% sucrose contained little starch, but the addition of 6 g of sucrose nine days after subculture stimulated considerable starch accumulation. Glucose and/or fructose supported growth and starch accumulation, but galactose did not. The addition of extra medium components accompanying sucrose supplementation had no beneficial effect on starch accumulation, but a second 6-g sucrose supplementation 12 days after the first further stimulated starch deposition. The starch accumulation appeared to be directly related to the amount of metabolizable carbohydrates in the medium. Since a simple modification of the medium stimulates starch deposition, maize endosperm cultures should be a useful model system for studying in vivo starch biosynthesis.

Key Words: Zea mays L. • Growth • Starch accumulation • Media carbohydrates

² Former graduate research assistant and professor, Dep. of Hortic., Pa. State Univ., University Park, PA 16802.

Received for publication February 27, 1975.

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