Insulin accelerates the post germinative development of several fat-storing seeds.

The effect of insulin and insulin like growth factors I and II on sunflower, watermelon and cucumber cotyledons has been examined. Each peptide stimulates an increase in the activity of several glyoxysomal enzymes which catalyze the conversion of fat to carbohydrate. These results provide the first evidence for the action of insulin and insulin like growth factors in plants.