Chlorophylls in organs of seeds and dark grown seedlings of pea

Leaves of dark grown seedlings of Pisum sativum L. cv. ‘Krombek’ contain both chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and Chl-6 in significant amounts. These pigments are not synthesized during seedling growth in darkness, but are already present in the embryonic axis. A comparison of different pea cultivars showed a positive correlation between the Chi content of the seeds and that of their embryonic axes. We have not attempted, however, to determine in which way chlorophylls are accumulated during the development of the embryonic stage.