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The effect of a foliar spray of selenium on potatoes was investigated for 2 years. Amounts of 0, 50, and 150 g of Se ha(-)(1) were applied both as sodium selenate and as sodium selenite in water, either pure or with the addition of 0.15% of soluble leonardite as a source of humic acids (pH 7). Tuber selenium concentration increased with the application levels, both with sodium selenate and with sodium selenite, when only aqueous solutions were used. When humic acids were added, the tuber selenium level rose more markedly after the application of sodium selenate as compared to the case of the aqueous solutions; however, in the case of sodium selenite, the level showed a large increase only after the application of 50 g of Se ha(-)(1). Kinetics showed that humic acids raised the selenate availability, but no differences were found in the distribution of selenium in the tuber fractions. Foliar application of selenium with humic acids was proven to be a good way to increase the selenium content of potatoes, but the assimilation process of selenium was simpler with selenate than with selenite.

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Aromatic carboxylic acids strongly inhibited 4-methylcatechol oxidation by an o-diphenol oxidase extracted from sweet cherry fruits (Prunus uvium). Esterification of the acids decreased their inhibitory strength. Inhibitors containing the benzene nucleus showed a greater effectiveness than the corresponding aliphatic and heterocyclic compounds (except 2-naphthalenecarboxylic acid). Similar inhibitory effects were observed by replacing the benzene ring with a highly unsaturated open chain. The inhibitory properties of benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, p-coumaric acid and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid were investigated. It is proposed that the catalytic and inhibitory sites are close together in the enzyme molecule.