Changes in nitrogenous compounds, carbohydrates and abscisic acid in Curcuma alismatifolia Gagnep. during dormancy

Stubbed rhizomes of Curcuma alismatifolia Gagnep. were kept at room temperature with good ventilation during their dormant period and then were randomly sampled at different stages of dormancy, i.e. stage 1 (beginning of dormancy), stage 2 (middle of dormancy) and stage 3 (late in dormancy with the buds sprouting). Fresh and dry weights, water content, nitrogen content and starch and total soluble sugar content decreased in the stubbed rhizome and storage roots during dormancy. The rhizome was the principal organ for N storage and the storage roots were the major organ for carbohydrate storage. Arginine and glutamic acid were the predominant free amino acids in the rhizome and storage roots, respectively. Free abscisic acid in the rhizome increased from stage 1 to 2 and then decreased by stage 3, while the concentration in storage roots decreased continuously until buds sprouted.