ABSTRACT
Examination of its enzymatic activities and their in situ location and their substrates and effectors makes it possible to study its metabolism and hence the biochemical functioning of the "rubber factory" formed by the laticiferous vessels. Hevea brasiliensis latex consists of a specialized cytoplasm. Moreover, no biochemical marker of mitochondrial enzymatic activities has been found in latex. Latex must be collected in a recipient packed in ice in order to halt biological activity to the greatest possible extent and to prevent the rapid development of bacteria which can occur at ambient temperature only a few hours after tapping and interfere with the enzymatic reactions studied. The specificity of the biochemical functioning of laticiferous tissue should nevertheless be stressed. Finally, the supply of sucrose to laticiferous tissue and its utilization, which is a crucial point in their satisfactory functioning and in the productivity of Hevea.
