COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PHOSPHORYLASE ACTIVITY AS AN INDEX OF THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF SOME IMPROVED CULTIVARS OF MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.)

Abstract

The phosphorylase activity in seeds of five improved cultivars of maize (Zea mays L.) was evaluated as an index of the P-nutrition status of the malted seeds. The procedure used involved colorimetric measurement of the liberated inorganic phosphate. The maize cultivar Farz-25 was found to have the highest phosphorylase-l activity among the five and hence the one with the best nutrition status. This variety is, therefore, recommended to breeders and agronomists, to exploit its nutritional quality.