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Abstract
Rubber Biosynthesis in Tapping Panel Dryness Affected Hevea Trees
The activity of rubber transferase (RuT)
determined in washed rubber particle (WRP) and whole latex showed a marked
increase in the advanced stages of tapping panel dryness (TPD) compared to
healthy and early stages of TPD. Prenyl transferase activity measured in the
C-serum of latex showed a slight decrease in the early stages, but was
substantially large in the advanced stages of TPD. There was a positive
correlation between RuT and prenyl transferase activities. The increased
activities of RuT and prenyl transferase under in vitro conditions in the
presence of adequate concentration of their substrates suggest the existence of
a large number of small rubber particles in a given unit weight of WRP. The
mean rubber particle size slightly increased in the early stages of TPD, but
was smaller in the advanced is suspected that both RuT and prenyl transferase
remained inactive under in vivo conditions possibly due to inadequate supply of
their immediate substrates. These findings are discussed in the light of our
earlier results that showed enhanced respiration in the TPD affected bark
tissues caused by alternate respiration which was known for its low ATP yield.

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