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Cytoplasmic glass formation in maize embryos

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

F. Bruni  and
A. C. Leopold
F. Bruni*
Affiliation:
Section of Plant Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
A. C. Leopold
Affiliation:
Boyce-Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
*
* Correspondence and present address Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Roma ‘La Sapienza’, 00185 Rome, Italy
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Abstract

In order to examine the occurrence of a glassy state in the cytoplasm of maize embryos as a function of water content, isolated embryos were examined using spin-probe electron spin resonance. The glass transition temperature was determined at various degrees of hydration (h) in the range 0.05–0.25 g H2O g−1 dry sample weight. The obtained phase diagram indicates that, at standard storage temperature (−5°C), the cytoplasm of embryos drier than 0.15 g H2O g−1 is in a glassy state.

Type
Short Communication
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 2 , Issue 4 , December 1992 , pp. 251 - 253
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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