Patho-Physiological Studies on the Insect Gall Tissue of Distylium racemosum SIEB. Et ZUCC. : III. Respiratory Metabolism during the Development of the “Leaf Gall” and the Catalase Activity of the Gall Tissue

This article deals with the change of respiratory metabolism of two kinds of insect gall of Distylium racemosum SIEB. Et ZUCC., namely Globular gall caused by Astegopteryx globuli MONZEN and Leaf gall formed by A.yanonis MATSUMOTO, and the catalase activities in those tissues were also discussed comparing with those of the healthy leaves by WARBURG's manometric technique. As to the respiratory rates, Qo2 of the healthy matured leaves was 0.47 and Qco2 was 0.41(μl/mg dry wt. /hr. 30℃.), while Qo2 of globular gall tissue was 1.90 and Qco2 was 1.71. These values show 4.1 times greater than the healthy. R.Q. of gall and leaf tissues were shown almost same. The respiratory rates of the galled portion and the healthy portion at each growth stage of the young leaves of Distylium racemosum, were measured. The remarkable change of the rates in both tissues were found during 3 weeks after the sprouting of the leaf. The respiratory rates of both tissues at the beginning of the 2nd week fell down from the highest increase observed in the 1-week old tissue, and again increased at 4-week-old stage and then gradually decreased. The rates of the gall tissue during 3 weeks after the sprouting of leaf were shown lower than the healthy, but after 4-week-old stage the rates ot the galled portion were shown higher than the healthy. The reason may be considered that the development of the gall tissue during 3 weeks after the sprouting is much retarded in comparison to the growth of the young leaves. At the stage of 9 weeks old, the multiplied aphids already emerged to the winged form and most of the galls were opened and they begun to fly out in sequ-ence, The respiratory rates of the gall tissue (not vet opened) much more remarkably decreased than the healthy leaf at this time, while the rates of the opened gall tissue were shown lower than the unopened gall. R.Q. of the gall tissue at 2-week-old stage was above 1.6 and after 3-week-old stage the value showed below 1.O and gradually approached to 1.0. Each relative value of catalase activity of both insect gall tissues was more conspicuous than that of the healthy. The catalase activity of globular gall tissue was shown 8.9 times higher, and that of leaf gall tissue was 4.5 times higher than that of the healthy leaf tissue. The increase of catalase activity and the acceleration of respiration in the gall tissue are closely correlated, and the catalase seems to concern with the mecha-nism of gall formation.