The Metabolism of fern spores

Abstract

The experimental work, on which this thesis is based, was intended to olucidate the earliest metabolic processes that occur in the germination of fern spores. A number of techniques have been used. Most of the material discussed was obtained by - (1) Manometry, to follow changes in the rate of gas exchange during the progress of germination; (2) The use of water containing tritium as a biological tracer, and (3) Extraction of enzymes by an acetone powder technique; especial emphasis has been placed on assaying for enzymes that the radioisotpe experiments suggest may be present. None of this work has any pretence of completeness, and its discussion is essentially tentative. The spores of ferns are not homologous with any of the resting phases for which metabolic data is available. To emphasise this point to the small audience that this thesis will have, we will start with a short botanical introduction so that those unfamiliar with plants may feel that the work described later does not represent a complete wast of time.