The control of food mobilisation in seeds of Cucumis sativus L. : I. The influence of embryonic axis and testa on protein and lipid degradation.

The development of maximal rates of lipid and protein hydrolysis in cucumber cotyledons depends upon the removal of the testa and the presence of the embryonic axis. The testa appears to exert at least part of its inhibitory influence by suppressing the development of enzyme activity associated with lipolysis and proteolysis. There is, however, no evidence to suggest that the presence of the embryonic axis is a pre-requisite for the development of optimal enzyme activity.