Some Aspects of Ontogeny of the Shoot Apices of Solanum melongena L. and Capsicum annuum L.

The ontogeny of the vegetative shoot apices of two important vegetable plants, Solanum melongena L. and Capsicum annuum L. is described. Each shoot apex is studied at different stages of seed germination. The relationship between time of germination and (i) area of vacuoles in the cell, (ii) total area of the cell, (iii) area of the nucleus in the cell, and (iv) ratio of area of vacuoles in the cell to the total area of the cell in each apex is examined. The differentiation of cytohistological zonation in both apices is distinct only after one or two leaves are initiated and developed. At a certain stage heterogeneity in staining in the peripheral region of the shoot apex of S. melongena is found. The zonation in both plants differentiates gradually in histological and cytological features. Vacuolation increases or decreases in all the cells of the shoot apex or in the cells of a particular region of the shoot apex at different stages of its ontogeny.