Induction of crassulacean acid metabolism in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum increases reproductive success under conditions of drought and salinity stress

Summary Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L., an inducible crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant, was grown for approximately 5 weeks following germination in well-watered, non-saline soil in a controlled-environment chamber. During this time, plants were characterized by C₃ photosynthetic carbon metabolism. After the initial 5 weeks, CAM was induced by a combination of high soil salinity and reduced soil water content. One group of plants was allowed to engage in CAM by being continuously exposed to normal CO₂-containing air (about 350–400 ppm). A second group of plants was deprived of ambient CO₂ each night (12 h dark period) until completion of their life cycle, thereby minimizing potential carbon gain via dark CO₂ fixation. The capacity to express CAM under conditions of drought and salinity stress markedly improved reproductive success: plants kept in normal CO₂-containing air produced about 10 times more seeds than plants kept in CO₂-free air during dark periods. Seeds from plants deprived of ambient CO₂ overnight had more negative ¹³C values than seeds from plants kept in normal air.     

Pod photosynthesis and seed dark CO2 fixation support oil synthesis in developingBrassica seeds

Rate of photosynthesis and activities of photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle enzymes were determined in pods (siliqua), whereas rate of dark CO₂ fixation, oil content and activities of enzymes involved in dark CO₂ metabolism were measured in seeds ofBrassica campestris L. cv. Toria at different stages of pod/seed development. The period between 14 and 35 days after anthesis corresponded to active phase of seed development during which period, seed dry weight and oil content increased sharply. Rate of pod photosynthesis and activities of photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle enzymes were maximum in younger pods but sufficiently high levels were retained up to 40 days after anthesis. The rate of dark¹⁴CO₂ fixation in seeds increased up to 21 days after anthesis and declined thereafter but maintaining sufficiently high rates till 35 days after anthesis. Similarly various enzymes viz., phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, NAD⁺-malate dehydrogenase and NADP⁺-malic enzyme, involved in dark CO₂ metabolism retained sufficient activities during the above period. These enzyme activities were more than adequate to maintain the desired supply of malate which mainly arises from dark CO₂ fixation in seeds and further translocated to leucoplasts for onward synthesis of fatty acids. Enzyme localization experiments revealed phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and enzymes of sucrose metabolism to be present only in cytosol, whereas enzymes of glycolysis were present both in cytosolic and leucoplastic fractions. These results indicated that oil synthesis in developingBrassica seeds is supported by pod photosynthesis and dark CO₂ fixation in seeds as the former serves as the source of sucrose and the latter as a source of malate     

Effects of the interaction between ozone and carbon dioxide on gas exchange,ascorbic acid content,and visible leaf symptoms in rice leaves

Tropospheric ozone (O₃) decreases photosynthesis, growth, and yield of crop plants, while elevated carbon dioxide (CO₂) has the opposite effect. The net photosynthetic rate (P _N), dark respiration rate (R _D), and ascorbic acid content of rice leaves were examined under combinations of O₃ (0, 0.1, or 0.3 cm³ m⁻³, expressed as O⁰, O^0.1, O^0.3, respectively) and CO₂ (400 or 800 cm³ m⁻³, expressed as C⁴⁰⁰ or C⁸⁰⁰, respectively). The P _N declined immediately after O₃ fumigation, and was larger under O^0.3 than under O^0.1. When C⁸⁰⁰ was combined with the O₃, P _N was unaffected by O^0.1 and there was an approximately 20 % decrease when the rice leaves were exposed to O^0.3 for 3 h. The depression of stomatal conductance (g _s) observed under O^0.1 was accelerated by C⁸⁰⁰, and that under O^0.3 did not change because the decline under O^0.3 was too large. Excluding the stomatal effect, the mesophyll P _N was suppressed only by O^0.3, but was substantially ameliorated when C⁸⁰⁰ was combined. Ozone fumigation boosted the R _D value, whereas C⁸⁰⁰ suppressed it. An appreciable reduction of ascorbic acid occurred when the leaves were fumigated with O^0.3, but the reduction was partially ameliorated by C⁸⁰⁰. The degree of visible leaf symptoms coincided with the effect of the interaction between O₃ and CO₂ on P _N. The amelioration of O₃ injury by elevated CO₂ was largely attributed to the restriction of O₃ intake by the leaves with stomatal closure, and partly to the maintenance of the scavenge system for reactive oxygen species that entered the leaf mesophyll, as well as the promotion of the P _N.     

Partitioning of biologically fixed nitrogen in cowpea during pod development

Two days after exposure of roots to¹⁵N labeled N₂, partitioning of biologically fixed N into leaves, stems, peduncles, pods, roots and nodules was measured in the early pod development stage of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.). The experimental objective was to determine the quantity of biologically fixed N that is incorporated into vegetative tissue before being mobilized to pods. For the three varieties of cowpea included in the experiment a maximum of 50% of the N, biologically fixed two days earlier, was contained in the pods. The remaining N was distributed throughout the vegetative portion of the plant with at least 30% in stems and leaves which indicates that much of the newly fixed N must cycle through a N pool in these tissues before reaching the pods.     

Photosynthetic Response of Wheat to Stress Induced by Puccinia Recondita and Post-Infection Drought

To quantify photosynthetic response of wheat to the combination of a fungal brown rust infection and a post-infection drought, four treatments were compared: no stress (control), fungal stress (FS), water stress (WS), and twofold stress (WS×FS). Predawn leaf water potential (_wp) was similar in FS and WS treatments over a 3-week period. In the WS treatment, net photosynthetic rate (P _N) and stomata CO₂ conductance (g _s) diminished concomitantly with a constant intercellular CO₂ concentration (C _i) close to 200 µmol mol^–1. In the FS treatment, a reduction of P _N occurred with an increase in respiration rate (doubling of the CO₂ compensation concentration) and in C _i but with no water loss modification. Healthy leaves of infected plants (FS) showed a reduction of P _N as well, with constant g _s and increased C _i. In the twofold stress treatment (WS×FS), leaves showed reduced P _N in relation to the lower _wp. Deleterious effects of both drought and fungal infection on the final area of leaves and dry matter were additive.     

A global survey of carbon isotope discrimination in plants from high altitude

Summary Carbon 13/12 isotope ratios have been determined from leaves of a hundred C₃ plant species (or ecotypes) from all major mountain ranges of the globe, avoiding drought stressed areas. A general increase in ¹³C content was found with increasing altitude, i.e. overall discrimination against the heavy isotope is reduced at high elevation. The steepest decline of discrimination is observed in taxa typically ranging to highest elevations (e.g. the genus Ranunculus). Mean ¹³C for all samples collected between 2500 and 5600 m altitude is-26.15 compared to the lowland average of-28.80 (P<0.001). Forbs from highest elevations reach-24. According to theory of ¹³C discrimination this indicates decreasing relative limitation of carbon uptake by carboxylation. In other words, we estimate that the ratio of internal to external partial pressure of CO₂ (p _i /p _a )in leaves of high elevation plants is lower than in leaves of low altitude. These results confirm recent gas exchange analyses in high and low elevation plants.     

Assessment of potential sources of error in nitrogen fixation measurements by the nitrogen-15 isotope dilution technique

Although the use of ¹⁵N fertilizers to measure nitrogen (N₂) fixed in crops has increased substantially in recent years, some methodological uncertainties still remain unresolved. The results obtained from a greenhouse study of soybean [Glycine max. (L.) Merrill] inoculated by six different methods have been examined for potential errors arising from incorporating ¹⁵N labelled fertilizer into soil to estimate N₂ fixed in pods or shoots or the whole plant at three growth stages (50% flowering, pod-initiation and physiological maturity) using as reference crops, an uninoculated soybean cultivar and a non-nodulating soybean isoline. At the first harvest when N₂ fixed was very low, the estimates of N₂ fixed by the two reference crops did not match. At this stage the uninoculated soybean estimated about four times as much N₂ fixed in the symbiotic soybean as that measured using the non-nodulating soybean. For the second and third harvests, there were substantial increases in N₂ fixed, and both the non-nodulating and uninoculated soybean were equally suitable as reference crops for assessing N₂ fixed in the symbiotic soybean. These results indicate how critical and difficult the choice of the reference crop could be at early harvests, or when N₂ fixed is low. Even though there were significant differences in ¹⁵N enrichments in different organs (generally nodules < pods < roots < shoots), the estimates of N₂ fixed in soybean plants obtained by excluding roots and nodules did not differ much from those based on the whole plant. Of the above-ground organs, % N₂ fixed in pods (containing seeds) was closest to that of the whole plant (similar at P<0.05 at physiological maturity). However, the total N₂ fixed in pods or shoots was substantially lower than that fixed by the whole plant (P<0.05), although that for the pods and enclosed seeds once again was closer to N₂ fixed in the whole plant than that in the shoots.     

Natural 15N abundance in shrub and tree legumes,Casuarina, and non N2 fixing plants in Thailand

The leaves and nodules from the shrub and tree legumes, particularly, Aeschynomene spp., Sesbania spp., Mimosa spp. and Leucaena spp., and Casuarina spp. and the leaves from neighbouring non-fixing plants were analyzed for their natural abundances of ¹⁵N ( ¹⁵N).The ¹⁵N in the leaves of non-fixing plants was +5.9% on average, whereas those from shrub legumes and Casuarina spp. were lower and close to the values of atmospheric N₂, suggesting the large contribution of N₂ fixation as the N source in these plants. The ¹⁵N values of the leaves from tree legumes except for Leucaena spp. were between the shrub legumes and non-fixing plants, which suggests that the fractional contribution of fixed N₂ in tree legumes may be smaller than that in the shrub legumes. Casuarina spp. was highly dependent on N₂ fixation. The ¹⁵N values of the nodules from most of the shrub legumes investigated were higher than those of the leaves.     

Photosynthesis by inflated pods of a desert shrub,Isomeris arborea

Summary The photosynthetic capacity and carbon metabolism of the fruits of Isomeris arborea (Capparidaceae), an evergreen shrub endemic to the desert and coastal habitats of Southern California and Baja California, are described. The inflated structure of the pods of I. arborea provides a model system for experimental studies of fruit photosynthesis in native plants since the gas concentration of the internal space can be manipulated and monitored separately from the external pod environment. CO₂ released by seed respiration is partially contained in the inner gas space of the pods, resulting in an elevated CO₂ environment inside the fruit (500 to 4000 mol mol^–1 depending on the stage of fruit development). A portion of this CO₂ is assimilated by the inner layers of the pericarp, but a larger fraction leaks out. The photosynthetic layers of the pericarp use two different sources of CO₂: the exocarp fixes exogenous CO₂ while the endocarp fixes CO₂ released by seed respiration into the pod cavity. Even though the total weight of the fruit increases during development, the combined rates of fixation of externally and internally supplied CO₂ remained constant (10–11 mol CO₂ pod^–1 h^–1). After the pods attain maximum volume, the major change in gas exchange that takes place during fruit growth is a gradual increase in the amount of respiratory CO₂ released by the seeds. This shifts the CO₂ balance of the fruit from positive, in young fruits, to negative in mature fruits. Pericarp photosynthesis helped support not only the cost of fruit maintenance, but also the cost of fruit growth, particularly during the first stages of fruit development. During later fruiting stages insufficient carbon is fixed to fully supply either respiration or growth.     

14CO2 Assimilation and 14C-photosynthate Translocation in Different Leaves of Sunflower

Chlorophyll and nitrogen contents were highest in leaves of middle position, similarly as photosynthetic efficiency represented by ¹⁴C fixation (maxima in leaf 5 from the top). All the leaves lost ¹⁴C after 2 weeks of ¹⁴CO₂ exposure. However, the reduction in radioactivity was less in young upper leaves than in the mature lower leaves. Leaves exported ¹⁴C-photosynthates to stem both above and below the exposed leaf. Very little radioactivity was recovered from the seeds of plants in which only first or second leaves were exposed to ¹⁴CO₂ implying thereby that the carbon contribution of first two leaves to seed filling was negligible. The contribution of leaves to seed filling increased with the leaf position up to the sixth leaf from the top and after the seventh leaf their contribution to seed filling declined gradually.     

Screening of certain mangroves for photosynthetic carbon metabolic pathway

The mangroves Rhizophora lamarkii, Ceriops roxburghiana, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Aegiceras corniculatum, and Lumnitzera racemosa were screened for their carbon metabolic pathways by measuring net photosynthetic rate (P _N), ¹³C discrimination rate, leaf anatomy, titratable acidity, and activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, NADH-malate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and pyruvate phosphate dikinase. The tested mangroves had a well developed succulence, opening of stomata during day time and closure in the night hours, and absence of diurnal fluctuation of organic acids in their leaves which excludes the possibility of these species being CAM plants. Moreover, the leaf anatomy had not exhibited Kranz syndrome. The high values of discrimination against ¹³C, low P _N, high CO₂ compensation concentration, and the activities of aminotransferases in the direction of alanine formation suggest that the species may follow C₃ mode of carbon metabolic pathway.     

Nitrogen incorporation and remobilization in different shoot components of field-grown winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) as affected by rate of nitrogen application and irrigation

The seasonal course of nitrogen uptake, incorporation and remobilization in different shoot components of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) was studied under field conditions including three rates of ¹⁵N labelled nitrogen application (0, 100 or 200 kg N ha^-1) and two irrigation treatments (rainfed or watered at a deficit of 20 mm). The total amount of irrigation water applied was 260 mm, split over 13 occasions in a 7-week-period ranging from 1 week before onset of flowering until 4 weeks after flowering.Nitrogen application and irrigation increased plant growth and nitrogen accumulation. Irrespective of N and irrigation treatment more than 50% of total shoot N was present in the stem when flowering started. At the end of flowering, pod walls were the main N store containing about 30–40% of shoot N. The quantities of N remobilized from stems and pod walls amounted in all treatments to about 70% of the N present in these organs at mid-flowering. At harvest, stem and pod walls each contained about 10% of total shoot N, the remaining 80% being incorporated into seeds. The main component contributing to the response of seed N accumulation to nitrogen application and irrigation was pods in axillary racemes. Up to 20 kg N ha^-1, corresponding to about 10% of final shoot N content, was lost from the plants by leaf drop.Irrigation increased the recovery at harvest of applied N from 30% to about 50%, while the level of N application did not affect the N recovery. ¹⁵N labelled (fertilizer derived) nitrogen constituted a greater proportion of the N content in old leaves than in young leaves and increased with age in the former, but not in the latter. Relative to soil N, fertilizer derived N also contributed more to the N content of vegetative than to that of reproductive shoot components. Small net changes in shoot N content after flowering reflected a balance between N import and export, leading to continuous dilution of ¹⁵N labelled N with unlabelled N.     

Variation in the export of 13C and 15N from soybean leaf: the effects of nitrogen application and sink removal

Translocation of carbon and nitrogen within a single source-sink unit, comprising a trifoliated leaf, the axillary pod and the subtending internode, and from this unit to the rest of the plant was examined in soybean (Glycine max L. cv. Akishirome) plant by feeding ¹³CO₂ and ¹⁵NO₃. The plants were grown at two levels of nitrogen in the basal medium, i.e. low-N (2 g N m^–2) and high-N (35 g N m^–2) and a treatment of depodding was imposed by removing all the pods from the plant, except the pod of the source sink unit, 13 days after flowering. The plants at high-N accumulated more biomass in its organs compared to low-N and pod removal increased the weight of the vegetative organs. When the terminal leaflet of the source-sink unit was fed with ¹³CO₂, almost all of the radioactive materials were retained inside the source-sink unit and translocation to rest of the plants was insignificant under any of the treatments imposed. Out of the¹³C exported by the terminal leaflet, less than half went into the axillary pod, as the lateral leaflets claimed equal share and very little material was deposited in the petiole. Pod removal decreased ¹³C export at high-N , but not at low-N. Similar to ¹³C, the source-sink unit retained all the ¹⁵N fed to the terminal leaflet at high-N. At low-N, the major part of ¹⁵N partitioning occurred in favour of the rest of the plant outside the source-sink unit, but removal of the competitve sinks from the rest of the plants nullified any partitioning outside the unit. Unlike the situation in ¹³C, no partitioning of ¹⁵N occurred in favour of the lateral leaflets from the terminal leaflet inside the unit. It is concluded that sink demand influences partitioning of both C and N and the translocation of carbon is different from that of nitrogen within a source-sink unit. The translocation of the N is more adjustive to a demand from other sink units compared to the C.     

Photosynthetic response of tetraploid and hexaploid wheat to water stress

Photosynthetic characteristics of ear and flag leaves of wheat species, tetraploid Triticum dicoccoides Kom and hexaploid Bima1, were studied in plants grown under well-watered (WW) and water-stressed (WS) conditions. Compared to ears, flag leaves exhibited higher photosynthetic rate (P _N) at the filling stage, but more severe decrease under WS. P _N in the tetraploid wheat ear remained higher than that in the hexaploid wheat during the grain-filling stage. Water stress decreased PN in both the organs; this decline was caused by a reduction in Rubisco activity, not by drought-induced stomatal limitation. Tetraploid wheat ears exhibited higher relative water content and water-use efficiency than that of hexaploid wheat, under WS. The change in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity and carbon isotope composition indicated the absence of C₄ metabolism in the ears of both species under both conditions. The improved performance of the tetraploid wheat ears under WS was associated with better water relations.     

Simultaneous gas exchange and fluorescence measurements indicate differences in the response of sunflower,bean and maize to water stress

Gas exchange and fluorescence measurements of attached leaves of water stressed bean, sunflower and maize plants were carried out at two light intensities (250 mol quanta m^-2s^-1 and 850 mol quanta m^-2s^-1). Besides the restriction of transpiration and CO₂ uptake, the dissipation of excess light energy was clearly reflected in the light and dark reactions of photosynthesis under stress conditions. Bean and maize plants preferentially use non-photochemical quenching for light energy dissipation. In sunflower plants, excess light energy gave rise to photochemical quenching. Autoradiography of leaves after photosynthesis in ¹⁴CO₂ demonstrated the occurrence of leaf patchiness in sunflower and maize but not in bean. The contribution of CO₂ recycling within the leaves to energy dissipation was investigated by studies in 2.5% oxygen to suppress photorespiration. The participation of different energy dissipating mechanisms to quanta comsumption on agriculturally relevant species is discussed.Abbreviations F_o minimal fluorescence - F_m maximal fluorescence - F_p peak fluorescence - g leaf conductance - P_N net CO₂ uptake - q_N coefficient of non-photochemical quenching - q_P coefficient of photochemical quenching     

Gas exchange by pods and subtending leaves and internal recycling of CO(2) by pods of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) subjected to water deficits

Terminal drought markedly reduces leaf photosynthesis of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) during seed filling. A study was initiated to determine whether photosynthesis and internal recycling of CO(2) by the pods can compensate for the low rate of photosynthesis in leaves under water deficits. The influence of water deficits on the rates of photosynthesis and transpiration of pods and subtending leaves in chickpea (cv. Sona) was investigated in two naturally-lit, temperature-controlled glasshouses. At values of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) of 900 micromol m(-2) s(-1) and higher, the rate of net photosynthesis of subtending leaves of 10-d-old pods was 24 and 6 micromol m(-2) s(-1) in the well-watered (WW) and water-stressed (WS) plants when the covered-leaf water potential (Psi) was -0.6 and -1.4 MPa, respectively. Leaf photosynthesis further decreased to 4.5 and 0.5 micromol m(-2) s(-1) as Psi decreased to -2.3 and -3.3 MPa, respectively. At 900--1500 micromol m(-2) s(-1) PAR, the net photosynthetic rate of 10-d-old pods was 0.9-1.0 micromol m(-2) s(-1) in the WW plants and was -0.1 to -0.8 micromol m(-2) s(-1) in the WS plants. The photosynthetic rates of both pods and subtending leaves decreased with age, but the rate of transpiration of the pods increased with age. The rates of respiration and net photosynthesis inside the pods were estimated by measuring the changes in the internal concentration of CO(2) of covered and uncovered pods during the day. Both the WW and WS pods had similar values of internal net photosynthesis, but the WS pods showed significantly higher rates of respiration suggesting that the WS pods had higher gross photosynthetic rates than the WW pods, particularly in the late afternoon. When (13)CO(2) was injected into the gas space inside the pod, nearly 80% of the labelled carbon 24 h after injection was observed in the pod wall in both the WW and WS plants. After 144 h the proportion of (13)C in the seed had increased from 19% to 32% in both treatments. The results suggest that internal recycling of CO(2) inside the pod may assist in maintaining seed filling in water-stressed chickpea.     

Application of bio-fertilizers for enhancing growth and yield of common bean plants grown under water stress conditions

This study was planned to enhance the growth and productivity of common bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown under different water stress level by using different microorganisms as bio-fertilizer agents. Water stress is a international problem that effects on morphological, functional and chemical processes of plants occasioning in altering growth, yield and water relations of economic plants like common bean plants. The interaction effect between water stress (WW as recommended irrigation after 6 days, WS1 after 12 days and WS2 after 18 days) and inoculation with different microorganisms [AMF (Glomus mosseae) and endophytic bacteria, (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens)] used alone or in mixed was examined on the development and productivity of common bean plants. Mutual application of AMF and endophytic bacteria significantly increased the average values of most of growth, water relations (photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance) and yield parameters of common bean plants grown at WS1 and WS2 comparing with non-colonized plants. In this connection, colonization with AMF and endophytic bacteria with WS1 are the greater pods number, pod length, pods weight, 100 seeds weight, Yield by ton /Fed and water-use efficiency (WUE) by ton/ m³ than other treatments. Common bean yielded seeds had significantly increased nutrients content (nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium), vitamin B₁, Folic acid, crude protein and crude fibers at AMF + endophytic bacteria under second water stress (WS1) when compared to other treatments.     

Photosynthetic responses of Populus przewalski subjected to drought stress

Cuttings of P. przewalski were exposed to two different watering regimes which were watered to 100 and 25 % of field capacity (WW and WS, respectively). Drought stress not only significantly decreased net photosynthetic rate (P _N), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (g _s), efficiency of photosystem 2 (PS2) (F_v/F_m and yield), and increased intrinsic water use efficiency (WUE_i) under controlled optimal conditions, but also altered the diurnal changes of gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, and WUE_i. On the other hand, WS also affected the P _N-photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) response curve. Under drought stress, P _N peak appeared earlier (at about 10:30 of local time) than under WW condition (at about 12:30). At midday, there was a depression in P _N for WS plants, but not for WW plants, and it could be caused by the whole microclimate, especially high temperature, low relative humidity, and high PAR. There were stomatal and non-stomatal limitations to photosynthesis. Stomatal limitation dominated in the morning, and low P _N at midday was caused by both stomatal and non-stomatal limitations, whereas non-stomatal limitation dominated in the afternoon. In addition, drought stress also increased compensation irradiance and dark respiration rate, and decreased saturation irradiance and maximum net photosynthetic rate. Thus drought stress decreased plant assimilation and increased dissimilation through affected gas exchange, the diurnal pattern of gas exchange, and photosynthesis-PAR response curve, thereby reducing plant growth and productivity.     

Effects of zinc and soil moisture on photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of maize

Effects of zinc [0 and 5.0 mg Zn kg⁻¹ (soil)] on photosynthetic rate (P_N), and chlorophyll fluorescence in leaves of maize (Zea mays L.) cv. Zhongdan 9409 seedlings grown under different soil moisture regimes (40–45 % and 70–75 % of soil saturated water content) were studied. Zn application did not enhance maize plant adaptation to drought stress. The relative water content and the water potential of leaves were not affected by Zn treatment. Moreover, The P_N of drought-stressed plants was not improved by Zn supply. The increases of plant biomass, stomatal conductance and quantum yield of photosystem 2 due to Zn addition were notable in well-watered plants.     

Distribution et utilisation des assimilats carbonés en relation avec la fixation symbiotique d'azote chez le soja (Glycine max L. Merrill)

Resumé La distribution et l'utilisation du carbone photoassimilé par des sojas (Glycine max L. Merr.) nodulés, cultivés en conditions naturelles ont été suivies durant deux années consécutives par expositions répétées et simultanées de plantes à du¹⁴CO₂ et¹⁵N₂ pendant une journée. Cette méthode couplée à une analyse détaillée des flux respiratoires au niveau des systèmes racinaires a permis de suivre le devenir du carbone en relation avec l'activité fixatrice d'azote. Les résultats montrent que le stade de développement des plantes au moment du marquage exerce une forte influence sur la distribution initiale du carbone. Ce sont les organes en forte croissance qui attirent le plus d'assimilats récents. Ainsi les organes reproducteurs, accumulent des quantités croissantes à partir de leur formation si bien qu'aux environs du jour 100, ils attirent près de 70% de la production nette. Les nodules eux stockent da 3 à 5% de cette production journalière entre les jours 50 et 100 alors que leur activité fixatrice chute déjà fortement dès le jour 85. Pendant la phase d'activité fixatrice optimale, les quantités de carbone perdues sous forme de CO₂, pour le seul processus de réduction du N₂, varient entre 2,5 et 7 mg par mg d'azote fixé. Ceci équivaut à la quantité de carbone destinée aux structures racines et nodules. Les transferts secondaires d'organes à organes se font à partir des organes végétatifs et puis des gousses vers les graines, mais essentiellement à partir de carbone assimilé durant la phase de remplissage des gousses (après le jour 80). Cependant, les quantités remobilisées sont faibles, ce qui indique que la croissance des graines dépend surtout d'une alimentation directe à partir de la photosynthèse.

---

Distribution and utilization of assimilated carbon in relation to dinitrogen fixation in soybean (Glycine max L. Merril)

Summary Distribution and use of photoassimilated carbon by nodulated soybeans (Glycine max L. Merr.) grown in natural conditions have been studied during two consecutive years by successive and simultaneous exposures of the plants to¹⁴CO₂ and¹⁵N₂ during one day. This method, together with detailed analysis of CO₂ efflux by root systems made it possible to follow the fate of carbon in relation to dinitrogen fixation. The results showed that the stage of development at which the plants were labelled exerted a high influence on the initial distribution of carbon. The growing organs always attracted more of the recently assimilated carbon. So, the reproductive parts accumulated increasing proportions and by day 100 about 70% of the current net production was recovered in pods and seeds. Nodules stored from 3 to 5% of the daily production, from day 50 to day 100, when their fixation activity already dropped by day 85. During the period of optimal fixation the amount of carbon lost as CO₂ due to the only process of N₂ reduction ranged between 2.5 and 7 mg per mg of N₂ fixed. This was equivalent to the amount of carbon directed towards roots and nodules structures during the same time. Secondary transfers by remobilization occurred from leaves and pods to the grains but mainly from the carbon assimilated during the podfilling stage (after day 80). However, these amounts were small indicating that grain development is mainly supported by current assimilates.