The capacity of green leaves for absorbing and converting substances related to L-ascorbic acid was investigated, using detached leaves of various plants, including soybean, pea, barley and spinach.The greater portion of the absorbed dehydroascorbic acid was recovered in the leaves as ascorbic acid, minor portions being discovered as dehydroascorbic acid and 2,3-diketogulonic acid. The recovery was about 60of the absorbed dehydro ascorbic acid, in the cases of detached soybean and barley leaves, for instance, thus suggesting the instability of the substancein vivo.The absorption and conversion of ascorbic acid and 2, 3-di- ketogulonic acid in detached green leaves were also investigated. Most of the absorbed ascorbic acid reappeared in the leaves. On the other hand, no evidence for the conversion of 2,3-diketogulonic acid into ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids was observed. The greater portion of the absorbed 2, 3-diketogulonic acid seems to be decomposed in the leaves, under the condition of the present study.
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