HISTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON THE IN VIVO EFFECTS OF FLUORIDE ON TRICARBOXYLIC ACID CYCLE DEHYDROGENASES FROM PELARGONIUM ZONALE: PART II

In vivo effects of fluoride on tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle dehydrogenase enzymes of Pelargonium zonale were studied using p-nitro blue tetrazoleum chloride. Plants were exposed to 17 ppb HF, and enzyme activities in treated plants were compared to those in controls. Leaves of control plants were incubated in 5 x 10–3 M sodium fluoride. Injuries observed in fumigation and solution experiments were similar. Leaf tissue subjected to HF or sodium fluoride evidenced less succinic p-nitro blue tetrazoleum reductase activity than did control tissue. Other TCA cycle dehydrogenase enzymes were not observably affected by the fluoride concentrations used in these experiments. Excised leaves cultured in 5 x 10–3 M sodium fluoride exhibited less succinic p-nitro blue tetrazoleum reductase activity after 24 hr than did leaves cultured in 5 x 10–3 M sodium chloride.