Effects of Ear Removal on Photosynthesis, Carbohydrate Accumulation and on the Distribution of Assimilated 14C in Wheat

Removal of an ear from a tiller of a wheat plant growing inthe field did not result in any marked change in the net photosyntheticrate of the subtending flag leaf, even during the period whenthe ear would normally have received large amounts of assimilatefrom the flag leaf. Following ear removal, there was an increasein the amount of ethanol-soluble and ethanol-insoluble carbohydratesin the remaining organs of the tiller. ¹⁴C labelling studiesshowed that a new pattern of translocation was established within2–3 days of ear removal, and the tiller exported assimilateto other tillers on the plant, and possibly to the roots.