chemist’s corner
Enzymes are organic substances produced by beneficial microbes that
are becoming a common ingredient in plant supplements found
at the grow shop. Enzymes can be used beneficially in the
garden, but they must be the appropriate enzymes
for the desired chemical reactions. When used
properly, they can be a useful tool to
promote healthy plant growth. Here’s
a brief rundown on how enzymes work.
E
nzymes are a form of catalyst—they
lower the activation energy needed
for a particular chemical reaction. The
enzyme molecules are not themselves
changed by the reaction, so they return to
their starting state after they have acted
on their target molecules (their substrates).
Enzymes are similar to cookie cutters
in that they can be used over and over
to effect change on something else,
without changing themselves. As they
affect change, they are affected by
inhibitors and activators. Inhibitors
make the enzyme slow down or stop
altogether; they change the shape of the
enzyme so that it either doesn’t accept
a molecule, or so that it accepts it more
slowly. Activators, such as hormones,
speed up the activity of enzymes.
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Maximum Yield USA | December 2016