Saline extracts of several varieties ofTriticale had haemagglutinin activity against rabbit, rat and fowl erythrocytes. In contrast to the wheat germ lectin theTriticale lectin was inactive against human B, 0 blood group type erythrocytes and rather high concentrations of the lectin are needed to agglutinate human A blood group type erythrocytes. TheTriticale lectin was purified about 20-fold with a 10% recovery of activity from one of the varieties (DTS 138) by (NH₄)₂SO₄ fractionation followed sequentially by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and sulphopropyl-Sephadex. Approximately 4 μg of the purified lectin caused visible agglutination with trypsinised rabbit erythrocytes. Among a variety of sugars tested D-glucose, D-mannose and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (2·5-7·5mM) caused inhibition of agglutination.

L-[U-¹⁴C]-2, 3-diaminopropionate was metabolised slowly in the rat. Nearly 75% of the total radioactivity could be accounted for by respiratory CO2 (60%) and by the concentration of the isotope in the liver and kidney (15%). The rate limiting step in its metabolism may be the activity of 2, 3-diaminopropionate: ammonia lyase in the liver. It is more readily metabolised than its 3-oxalyl derivative, which is neurotoxic.