Different effects of soil drought on soluble carbohydrates of developing Lupinus pilosus and Lupinus luteus embryos

The aim of this study was to compare the accumulation of soluble carbohydrates in embryos of two lupin species: cultivated Lupinus luteus (cv. Juno) and wild L. pilosus, developing on plants grown under normal soil humidity and soil drought. All analysed seeds accumulated soluble carbohydrates, including: monosaccharides, sucrose, cyclitols, galactosyl cyclitols and raffinose family oligosaccharides. Soil drought caused a nearly two-fold increase of soluble carbohydrate contents in both species. L. pilosus embryos however, responded to water deficiency by increasing the accumulation of cyclitols and galactosyl cyclitols, whereas L. luteus embryos enhanced accumulation of cyclitols and raffinose family oligosaccharides.