CHANGES IN PROTEIN, AMINO ACID AND PROTEASE ACTIVITY IN FIVE VARIETIES OF YAM TUBERS DURING STORAGE AND SPROUTING

Protein, amino acid and protease activity in the yam cultivars (Dioscorea alata cv. Sree Keerthi and cv. Sree Roopa, D. rotundata CV. Sree Priya and cv. Sree Subra and D. esculenta cv. Sree Latha) were studied during the period of storage and subsequent sprouting in the apical and the basal regions of the tubers. The sprouting in tubers started approximately at 70 to 80 days of storage in all the five varieties studied. The protein and amino acid contents and protease activity was found to be higher in the apical than the basal at initial storage period and they increased rapidly during Sprouting in both the regions.