Abstract:The effects of KCN (0.5mmol/L) and NaN3 (0.01 mmol/L) pretreatment on the operation of the alternative pathway in subcultured tobacco (Nicotiana rustica L. cv. Gansu yellow flower) callus were analyzed. After treatment with KCN and NaN3 for 12 h, the total respiration rate (Vt) decreased by 12% and 17%, whereas oxygen consuption by the cytochrome pathway decreased by 22% and 28% respectively. The capacity of the alternative pathway (Valt) remained constant, while the activity of the alternative pathway (ρ· Valt ) inreased slightly. This changing pattern led to a declined contribution of the cytochrome pathway to the total respiration rate and an increased activity of the alternative pathway. Treatment with KCN for 24 h brought about a slight rise of oxygen consumption by the cytochrome pathway as compared with that in callus treated for 12 h, but the oxygen consumption was still lower than that in the untreated callus. Treatment with NaN3 for 24 h resulted in a profound decrease of the cytochrome pathway operation and a continuing increase of the alternative pathway operation. These data indicated that the enhanced operation of the alternative pathway played a compensatory role to the total respiration when the cytochrome pathway was partially inhibited in tobacco callus.