Trigonelline, nicotinic acid and nicotinamide in seedlings of Pisum sativum

Abstract Levels of trigonelline, nicotinic acid and nicotinamide have been examined in pea plants from the ungerminated seed to 10 days of age. The total quantity of trigonelline ranged between 70 and 81 μg in seeds to 7-day-old plants. At 10 days, the quantity of trigonelline increased to 101 μg. During the first 10 days, the concentration of trigonelline decreased in all regions of the seedling. Quantities of nicotinic acid within the seedling fell immediately after germination from 11.4 to 4.4 μg at 3 days but increased to 18.3 μg at 10 days. Unlike the decreasing trigonelline concentrations, nicotinic acid concentration throughout the seedling appeared relatively stable. Quantities of nicotinamide were less than 1% that of trigonelline, and never reached 1 μg total. The only noticeable increase in the concentration of nicotinamide occurred in leaves of 10-day-old plants. When [ 14 C]trigonelline was injected at the cotyledonary node, it was transported to all regions of the plant and the majority (65%) went to epicotyl tissues.