Elif Keskindir

Ulaş Bakır

Esra Pelvan

PLANT PHYSIOLOGY LABORATORY REPORT

INTRODUCTION

A plant pigment is any type of colored substance produced by a plant. In general,

any chemical compound which absorbs visible radiation between about 380 nm
(violet) and 760 nm (ruby-red) is considered a pigment. There are many different
plant pigments, and they are found in different classes of organic compounds.
Plant pigments give color to leaves, flowers, and fruits and are also important in
controlling photosynthesis, growth, and development.
An absorption spectrum is a measure of the wavelengths of radiation that a
pigment absorbs. The selective absorption of different wavelengths determines
the color of a pigment. For example, the chlorophylls of higher plants absorb red
and blue wavelengths, but not green wavelengths, and this gives leaves their
characteristic green color.
The molecular structure of a pigment determines its absorption spectrum. When
a pigment absorbs radiation, it is excited to a higher energy state. A pigment
molecule absorbs some wavelengths and not others simply because its molecular
structure restricts the energy states which it can enter.
Once a pigment has absorbed radiation and is excited to a higher energy state,
the energy in the pigment has three possible fates: (a) it can be emitted as heat,
(b) it can be emitted as radiation of lower energy (longer wavelength), or (c) it
can engage in photochemical work, i.e., produce chemical changes. Flavonoids,
carotenoids, and betalains are plant pigments which typically emit most of their
absorbed light energy as heat. In contrast, chlorophyll, phytochrome, rhodopsin,
and phycobilin are plant pigments which use much of their absorbed light energy
to produce chemical changes within the plant.
Chlorophyll is the molecule that absorbs sunlight and uses its energy to
synthesise carbohydrates from CO2 and water. This process is known as
photosynthesis and is the basis for sustaining the life processes of all plants.
Since animals and humans obtain their food supply by eating plants,
photosynthesis can be said to be the source of our life also.
Carotenoids are yellow, orange, or red pigments synthesized by many plants,
fungi, and bacteria. In plants, carotenoids can occur in roots, stems, leaves,
flowers, and fruits. Within a plant cell, carotenoids are found in the membranes of
plastids, organelles surrounded by characteristic double membranes.

Xantophyll is yellow in color while the last one that is called carotene has a bright
orange hue. The bright color of carrots is actually the contribution of carotene,
whose name also bears a strong resemblance to the name of carrots.

PREPARATION
40 ml ether

60 ml hexan

1 drop acetic acid

Whatman paper

Rf=Solute/Solvent(way)

We take 0.1 ml of plant water

OBSERVATION

1)Apiacea Chlorophylla:6.7 Chlorophyllb:5.7 Xantophyll:7.4 Caretinoid:7.6

2)Euphorbia sp. Chlorophyll a:72 Chlorophyll b:44 Xantophyll:77 Caretinoid:77

3)Trigonella sp. Chlorophyll a:66 Chlorophyll b:37 Xantophyll:77 Caretinoid:78

4)Poaceae Chlorophyll a:74 Chlorophyll b:38 Xantophyll:78 Caretinoid:79

5)Boraginacea: Chlorophyll a:43 Chlorophyll b:38 Xantophyll:- Caretinoid:8

Dark green:Chlorophyll b

Light green:Chlorophyll a

Dark yellow:Caretinoid

Light yellow:Xantophyll