Glycolytic activity in embryos of Pisum sativum and of non-dormant or dormant seeds of Avena sativa L. expressed through activities of PFK and PPi-PFK.

A quantitative cytochemical assay for PPi-PFK activity in the presence of Fru-2,6-P2 is described along with its application to determine levels of activity in embryos of Pisum sativum and Avena sativa. The activity of ATP-PFK has also been studied in parallel as have PFK activities during the switch from dormant to non-dormant embryos in Avena sativa. PPi-PFK activity has been demonstrated in all tissues of Pisum sativum embryos and of Avena sativa embryos including the scutellum and the aleurone layers. The PPi-PFK activity was greater than that of ATP-PFK in both dormant and non-dormant seeds though with only marginally more activity in the dormant as opposed to the non-dormant state.