Abstract

Many spectroscopic studies have been conducted on the photoreduction process in etiolated leaves. It is now well established that the photoactive pigment is protochlorophyllide (PChlide), which is protochlorophyll (PChl) lacking the phytol group.^1–3 It was found by early spectroscopic studies that there are two forms of protochlorophyllide on the leaves of dark-grown bean seedlings.¹ A main component of the two forms has a red absorption maximum at 650 nm, which is called protochlorophyllide-650 (PChllde-650), while a minor component has a maximum at 636 nm.¹

© 1986 Optical Society of America