On the Relative Value of Asparagine as a Nutrient 

 for Phaenogams. 



BY 



T. Nakamura, Nogakushi. 



It has repeatedly been shown that asparagine and other 

 amido-compounds applied to roots of plants are assimilated and 

 can serve as valuable sources of nitrogen. But quantitative 

 comparisons have not yet been carried out, which would no 

 doubt be of great value ; above all it appeared desirable to 

 compare the relative value of asparagine as a source of nitrogen 

 with those of other closely related compounds. I made several 

 experiments to obtain some light in this direction. 



In my first experiment I compared the action of asparagine 

 with ammonium succinate upon young barley plants, which were 

 measured from the base of the stem to the tip of the plumula at 

 different intervals. The solutions were prepared by mixing 2 % 

 solutions of asparagine and of ammonium succinate with equal 

 volumes of a saturated solution of gypsum. 



After five days, the plants were placed lor one day in an- 

 other solution containing mono-potassium phosphate and magne- 

 sium sulphate (o. I % of each)/" 



Twenty four plants were placed in narrow beakers containing 

 200 c.c. of these solutions and kept at a temperature of 12 0 — 20°C. 

 After four days, the plants in ammonium succinate solution com- 

 menced to show a yellow colouration on the tips and this colour- 

 ation increased gradually so that on the tenth day all the leaves 

 had turned yellow, but they were still alive as the full turgor was 

 still preserved. 



On the other hand, the plants in asparagine solution had 

 remained green up to this time. The great difference in growth 

 after nine days is seen from the following table : 



(1) This separation of solutions is necessary to prevent bacterial growth, or to resist 

 it as much as possible. 



