Which carbohydrate source improves somatic embryo quality due to slow metabolism?
Maltose improves somatic embryo quality over sucrose because of its slow metabolism providing stable osmotic environment and reducing toxic byproduct accumulation. Sucrose is rapidly hydrolyzed by cell wall invertases into glucose fructose causing spikes in hexose concentration osmotic pressure shifts and feedback inhibition leading to hyperhydricity vitrification phenolic browning and precocious germination. Maltose consisting of two glucose units linked alpha 1,4 requires maltase alpha glucosidase for cleavage which activity is lower in plant tissues, so hydrolysis proceeds gradually maintai
Ref: Blanc et al., Plant Cell Rep maltose; Scott & Lyne 1994 carbohydrate metabolism.
