Enzymes Involved in the Postharvest Degradation of Sucrose in Beta vulgaris L. Root Tissue.
The reducing sugar content of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) roots increased during 30 days of storage at 21 C and 160 days at 5 C as a result of an increase in acid invertase activity. Sucrose synthetase and neutral invertase activities were high at harvest but declined during storage, thus showing no relationship with postharvest reducing sugar accumulation in sugar beet roots. Acid alpha-glucosidase activity was detected in fresh roots but showed no activity with sucrose as a substrate.
Wyse
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United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Crops Research Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322.