Reversal of the Direction of Photosynthate Allocation in Urtica dioica L. Plants by Increasing Cytokinin Import into the Shoot

The natural cytokinin import from the root into the shoot of Urtica dioica plants was enhanced by supplying zeatin riboside (ZR) solutions of various concentrations to a portion less than 10 % of the root system after removal of their tips. After 6 h ZR pretreatment of the plants, ¹⁴CO₂ was supplied for 3 h to a mature (source) leaf or to an expanding leaf and the ¹⁴C-distribution in the whole plant was determined after a subsequent dark period of 14 h. ZR substantially increased ¹⁴C fixation by the expanding leaves and also enhanced export of carbon and transport to the shoot apex. The effect of the hormone treatment was, however, more pronounced when the ¹⁴CO₂ was supplied to a mature leaf. In the control plants these leaves exported carbon only to the roots: When the amount of the natural daily ZR input from the roots to the shoot was enhanced by 20%, the bulk of the ¹⁴C exported from a mature leaf moved to the shoot apex and only a minor portion of ¹⁴C was still detected in the root fraction. A several-fold increase of the natural daily ZR input into the shoot resulted in a flow of ¹⁴C only to the growing parts of the shoot. The results suggest control of the sink strength of the shoot apex by ZR in Urtica diocia.     

The metabolism of [3−3H]oleanolic acid-3-O-mono-[14C]glucoside in isolated cells from Calendula officinalis leaves

The radioactive precursor, [3?³H]oleanolic acid-3-O-mono-[¹⁴C]glucoside was administrated to isolated cells obtained from the leaves of Calendula officinalis. The radioactivity of the precursor was incorporated into fractions containing free oleanolic acid, individual glucosides, glucuronide F and other glucuronides. The ratio of ³H: ¹⁴C radioactivity in these fractions indicated that glucosides were formed in a process involving direct glycosylation of the precursor, whereas the glucuronides were formed from oleanolic acid released by hydrolysis of the precursor. Dynamics curves showed that glucoside II formed by direct glycosylation of the precursor was intensively transformed to other derivatives.     

Transport of [2-14C]jasmonic acid from leaves to roots mimics wound-induced changes in endogenous jasmonic acid pools in Nicotiana sylvestris

Jasmonic acid (JA) is part of a long-distance signal-transduction pathway that effects increases in de-novo nicotine synthesis in the roots of Nicotiana sylvestris Speg et Comes (Solanaceae) after leaf wounding. Elevated nicotine synthesis increases whole-plant nicotine pools and makes plants more resistant to herbivores. Leaf wounding rapidly increases JA pools in damaged leaves, and after a 90-min delay, root JA pools also increase. The systemic response in the roots could result from either: (i) the direct transport of JA from wounded leaves, or (ii) JA synthesis or its release from conjugates in roots in response to a second, systemic signal. We synthesized [2-¹⁴C]JA, and applied it to a single leaf in a quantity (189 μg) known to elicit both a whole-plant nicotine and root JA response equivalent to that found in plants subjected to leaf wounding. We quantified radioactive material in JA, and in metabolites both more and less polar than JA, from treated and untreated leaves and roots of plants in eight harvests after JA application. [2-¹⁴C]Jasmonic acid was transported from treated leaves to roots at rates and in quantities equivalent to the wound-induced changes in endogenous JA pools. The [2-¹⁴C]JA that had been transported to the roots declined at the same rate as endogenous JA pools in the roots of plants after leaf wounding. Most of the labeled material applied to leaves was metabolized or otherwise immobilized at the application site, and the levels of [2-¹⁴C]JA in untreated leaves did not increase over time. We measured the free JA pools before and after four different hydrolytic extractions of root and shoot tissues to estimate the size of the potential JA conjugate pools, and found them to be 10% or less of the free JA pool. We conclude that the direct transport of wound-induced JA from leaves to roots can account for the systemic increase in root JA pools after leaf wounding, and that metabolism into less polar structures determines the duration of this systemic increase. However, the conclusive falsification of this hypothesis will require the suppression of all other signalling pathways which could have shoot-to-root transport kinetics similar to that of endogenous JA. Received: 14 April 1997 / Accepted: 9 June 1997     

茉莉酸甲酯对牛膝生长及主要药用成分积累的影响

不同浓度的外源茉莉酸甲酯(Me JA)对牛膝生长及其主要药用成分齐墩果酸和蜕皮甾酮均有不同的影响。该文采用不同浓度的Me JA分别浸种处理牛膝种子:0(对照)、0.1 mmol·L-1(T1)、0.15 mmol·L-1(T2)、0.2 mmol·L-1(T3)、0.25 mmol·L-1(T4),对照(CK)以同体积的蒸馏水浸泡。取浸种处理后生长培养60 d的牛膝植株,测定牛膝的株高、根长、地上及地下部分的生物量;取牛膝的叶及根,HPLC法测定其齐墩果酸和蜕皮甾酮的含量,研究Me JA对牛膝生长及主要药用成分齐墩果酸和蜕皮甾酮积累的影响。结果表明:0.15 mmol·L-1Me JA浸种处理,对牛膝生长及生物量的促进作用最佳,其株高、根长、地上部分鲜重及根鲜重分别比对照显著升高43.9%、38.7%、26.4%、64.0%(P0.05);0.15 mmol·L-1Me JA处理,对牛膝的根和叶中齐墩果酸的积累作用最佳,分别比对照组显著增加了114.3%和60%(P0.05);0.25 mmol·L-1Me JA处理,对牛膝根中蜕皮甾酮的积累最佳,比对照高出90.3%(P0.05),却不利于根和叶中齐墩果酸的积累,并可抑制叶中蜕皮甾酮的形成。说明0.15 mmol·L-1Me JA浸种处理对牛膝的生长及其根和叶中齐墩果酸的积累作用最佳,并能显著促进根中蜕皮甾酮的积累,有利于牛膝药材产量和品质的提高。     

Enhancement of [C]Sucrose Export from Source Leaves of Vicia faba by Gibberellic Acid

The effect of gibberellic acid (GA₃) on sucrose export from source leaves was studied in broad bean (Vicia faba L.) plants trimmed of all but one source and one sink leaf. GA₃ (10 micromolar) applied to the source leaf, enhanced export of [¹⁴C]sucrose (generated by ¹⁴CO₂ fixation) to the root and to the sink leaf. Enhanced export was observed with GA treatments as short as 35 minutes. When GA₃ was applied 24 hours prior to the ¹⁴CO₂ pulse, the enhancement of sucrose transport toward the root was abolished but transport toward the upper sink leaf was unchanged. The enhanced sucrose export was not due to increased photosynthetic rate or to changes in the starch/sucrose ratio within the source leaf; rather, GA₃ increased the proportion of sucrose exported. After a 10-min exposure to [¹⁴C]GA₃, radioactivity was found only in the source leaf. Following a 2 hour exposure to [¹⁴C]GA₃, radioactivity was distributed along the entire stem and was present in both the roots and sink leaf. Extraction and partitioning of GA metabolites by thin layer chromatography indicated that there was a decline in [¹⁴C]GA₃ in the lower stem and root, but not in the upper stem. This pattern of metabolism is consistent with the disappearance of the GA₃ effect in the lower stem with time after treatment. We conclude that in the short term, GA₃ enhances assimilate export from source leaves by increasing phloem loading. In the long term (24 hours), the effect of GA₃ is outside the source leaf. GA₃ accumulates in the apical region resulting in enhanced growth and thus greater sink strength. Conversely, GA₃ is rapidly metabolized in the lower stem thus attenuating any GA effect.     

The Effect of Nitrogen Supply to Urtica dioica L. Plants on the Distribution of Assimilate Between Shoot and Roots

In this study the influence of nitrogen nutrition on the patterns of carbon distribution was investigated with Urtica dioica. The nettles were grown in sand culture at 3 levels of NO^?₃, namely 3 (low), 15 (medium) and 22 (high) mM. These levels encompassed a range within which nitrogen did not affect total biomass production. The ratio of root: shoot biomass of the low nitrogen plants was, however, significantly higher than that of the nettles grown at medium and high N supply. Carbon allocation from one leaf of each pair of leaves was examined after a ¹⁴CO₂-pulse and a subsequent ¹⁴C distribution period of one night. Only the youngest two leaf pairs did not export assimilates. Carbon (¹⁴C) export to the shoot apex and to the roots, as measured at the individual nodes responded to the nitrogen status: At medium and high nitrogen supply the 3rd, 4th and 5th leaf pairs exported to the shoot apex, while lower leaves exported to the root. At low nitrogen supply only the 3rd leaf exported towards the shoot apex. The results illustrate the plastic response of carbon distribution patterns to the nitrogen supply, even when net photosynthesis, carbon export from the source leaves and biomass production were not affected by the nitrogen supply to the plant.     

The Changes of The Level of Triterpenoids in Calendula officinalis during Vegetation

Using thin-layer chromatography for separation and colorimetric test with CoClj for determination, qualitative and quantitative composition of triterpenoids was estimated in Calendula officinalis dining vegetation. It was found that sterols and oleanolic acid as well as trace amounts of triterpenic monols occur in all organs of the plant during the whole vegetative period. Triterpenic diols and greater quantities of triterpenic monols appear in flowers. The biosynthesis rate of triterpcnoids is highest in young organs of the plant that is in seedlings, young leaves and flower buds. During flowering the content of sterols and oleanolic acid increases in all plant organs except of old leaves. A high level of oleanolic acid in the root during the flowering period implies that oleanolic acid glycosides can be transported from older leaves to underground parts of the plant. Biosynthesis of triterpenic monols, Ψ-taraxasterol and taraxasterol, precedes the formation of the diols faradiol and arnidiol. It can be inferred from the course of accumulation of these compounds that monols are the precursors of diols and that hydroxylation occurs in flowers.     

Relationship between leaf development and primary photosynthetic products in the C4 plant Portulaca oleracea L.

Summary The photosynthetic products of Portulaca oleracea differ greatly depending on leaf age and length of exposure to ¹⁴CO₂. Mature leaves of P. oleracea fix ¹⁴CO₂ primarily into organic and amino acids during a 10-s exposure period. Less than 2% of the ¹⁴CO₂ fixed appears in phosphorylated compounds. In contrast, incorporation into amino acids can account for over 60% of the total ¹⁴CO₂ fixed by young leaves in an equal time period, and incorporation into alanine alone can account for up to one half of this amount. Senescent leaves display a quantitative shift of primary products toward phosphorylated compounds with a concomitant reduction of the label residing in malate and asparate. About 8 times more phosphoglyceric acid is produced in senescent leaves than in mature leaves. The aspartate/ malate ratio is not constant and depends on the length of time the leaves are exposed to ¹⁴CO₂ and the age of the leaves under study. It appears as if the stage of leaf development is one of the most important factors determining the operation of a particular enzyme system in C₄ plants.     

Decarboxylation and transport of auxin in segments of sunflower and cabbage roots

Summary The movement of ¹⁴C from indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) ¹⁴C has been examined in 5 mm root segments of dark-grown seedlings of Helianthus annuus and Brassica oleracea. Contaminants from distilled water, phosphate buffer and the razor-blade cutter increase the decarboxylation of IAA-¹⁴C, and cutting of root segments results in an activation of IAA-destroying enzymes at the cut surfaces. When these sources of errors were eliminated the following was shown: a) Both in sunflower and cabbage there is a slight acropetal flux of ¹⁴C through the root segments into the agar receiver blocks. The amount of ¹⁴C found in the receiver blocks increases with the lenght of the transport period. b) When the root segments, after the transport period, are cut in two equal parts and these assayed separately, the amounts of ¹⁴C in the two parts indicate a greater acropetal than basipetal transport. c) The total radioactivity of the receiver blocks is in part due to IAA-¹⁴C and in part to ¹⁴CO₂, the latter being a result of enzymatic destruction of auxin. d) Addition of ferulic acid, an inhibitor of IAA oxidases, to the receiver blocks markedly inhibits the decarboxylation of IAA-¹⁴C and thus increases the amount transported. This effect is more pronounced after a 20 hr than after a 6 hr transport period.     

Photosynthesis of Lipids from CO(2) in Spinacia oleracea

Young expanding spinach leaves exposed to ¹⁴CO₂ under physiological conditions for up to 20 minutes assimilated CO₂ into lipids at a mean rate of 7.6 micromoles per milligram chlorophyll per hour following a lag period of 5 minutes. Label entered into all parts of the lipid molecule and only 28% of the ¹⁴C fixed into lipids was found in the fatty acid moieties, i.e. fatty acids were synthesized from CO₂in vivo at a mean rate of 2.1 micromoles per milligram chlorophyll per hour. Intact spinach chloroplasts isolated from these leaves incorporated H¹⁴CO₃ into fatty acids at a maximal rate of 0.6 micromole per milligram chlorophyll per hour, but were unable to synthesize either the polar moieties of their lipids or polyunsaturated fatty acids. Since isolated chloroplasts will only synthesize fatty acids at rates similar to the one obtained with intact leaves in vivo if acetate is used as a precursor, it is suggested that acetate derived from leaf mitochondria is the physiological fatty acid precursor.     

Ethylene-induced microtubule reorientations: mediation by helical arrays

Pruned source-sink transport systems from predarkened plants of Amaranthus caudatus L. and Gomphrena globosa L. were used to study the localization of ¹⁴C-labeled photosynthate imported into experimentally induced sink leaves by microautoradiography. During a 6-h (Amaranthus) or a 4-h (Gomphrena) transport period, ¹⁴C-assimilates were translocated acropetally from a mature source leaf provided with ¹⁴CO₂, into a younger induced sink leaf (dark/-CO₂). In addition, a young still-expanding source leaf exposed to ¹⁴CO₂ exported ¹⁴C-assimilates basipetally into a mature induced sink leaf (dark/-CO₂). Microautoradiographs showed that imported ¹⁴C-photosynthate was strongly accumulated in the sieve element/companion cell complexes of midveins, secondary veins, and minor veins of both the mature and the expanding sink leaf. Some label was also present in the vascular parenchyma and bundlesheath cells. In petioles, ¹⁴C-label was concentrated in the sieve element/companion cell complexes of all bundles indicating that assimilates were imported and distributed via the phloem. Moreover, a considerable amount of radioactivity unloaded from the sieve element/companion cell complexes of petiolar bundles, was densely located at sites of secondary wall thickenings of differen-tiating metaxylem vessels, and at sites of chloroplasts of the vascular parenchyma and bundle-sheath cells. These observations were more striking in petioles of Gomphrena than Amaranthus.Abbreviation se/cc sieve element/companion cell     

The Effect of IAA on Sugar Accumulation and Basipetal Transport of 14C-labelled Assimilates in Relation to Root Formation in Phaseolus vulgaris Cuttings

The effect of indol-3yl-acetic acid on root formation, accumulation of 80% ethanol-soluble sugars and basipetal transport of ¹⁴C-labelled assimilates has been investigated in Phaseolus vulgaris (cv. Canadian Wonder) hypocotyl cuttings. The removal of leaves reduced root formation in the hypocotyl, while excision of the apical bud was less detrimental. The expression of the IAA effect in inducing more roots was dependent on the area of leaves, and was found to be better when all leaves were present. Sugars accumulated slowly at the base of cuttings during a four-day period after excision, and IAA greatly enhanced this accumulation. By comparing sugar content at the base of green and starved cuttings it was established that IAA greatly increased it concurrently with root formation. IAA applied in solution to the hypocotyl greatly enhanced the basipetal transport of ¹⁴C-labelled assimilates and their accumulation at the hypocotyl during a 24-h period. The IAA-induced accumulation was found to be connected with a greater mobilization of labelled assimilates from upper parts of the cutting. Experiments involving pretreatment with IAA and transport in cuttings already possessing root primordia, suggest a dual effect of IAA: (I) a direct effect on transport, and (2) an increase in the root-“sink”. It is concluded that both may be operating in inducing basipetal accumulation of labelled assimilates. It is suggested that one of the roles of IAA in promoting rooting of cuttings is to increase sugar availability at the site of root formation.     

Developmental regulation of photosynthate distribution in leaves of rice

mRNA expression patterns of genes for metabolic key enzymes sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), pyruvate kinase, ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, glutamine synthetase 1, and glutamine synthetase 2 were investigated in leaves of rice plants grown at two nitrogen (N) supplies (N_0.5, N_3.0). The relative gene expression patterns were similar in all leaves except for 9^th leaf, in which mRNA levels were generally depressed. Though increased N supply prolonged the expression period of each mRNA, it did not affect the relative expression intensity of any mRNA in a given leaf. SPS V_max, SPS limiting and PEPC activities, and carbon flow were examined. The ratio between PEPC activity and SPS V_max was higher in leaves developed at the vegetative growth stage (vegetative leaves: 5^th and 7^th leaves) than in leaves developed after the ear primordia formation stage (reproductive leaves: 9^th and flag leaves). PEPC activity and SPS V_max decreased with declining leaf N content. After using ¹⁴CO₂ the ¹⁴C photosynthate distribution in the amino acid fraction was higher in vegetative than in reproductive leaves when compared for the same leaf N status. Thus, at high PEPC/SPS activities ratio, more ¹⁴C photosynthate was distributed to the amino acid pool, whereas at higher SPS activity more ¹⁴C was channelled into the saccharide fraction. Thus, leaf ontogeny was an important factor controlling photosynthate distribution to the N- or C-pool, respectively, regardless of the leaf N status.     

The physiological significance of the leaf nodules of psychotria

Summary In 6-month growth experiments it was found that leaf-nodulatedPsychotria mucronata seedlings grown in N-poor soil showed a restricted growth and developed severe nitrogen-deficiency symptoms in the leaves. Plants in the same soil supplied with NO₃-N showed healthy growth and dark green leaves. Detached Psychotria leaves bearing leaf nodules exposed to an atmosphere containing N¹⁵-labelled nitrogen gas or acetylene gas gave no evidence of nitrogen fixation, either in the light or in the dark or in both in succession. Therefore nitrogen fixation is probably not associated with the leaf nodules. Chlorophyll retention was observed around the leaf nodules in senescent Psychotria leaves. Psychotria leaf-nodule discs placed on oat leaves cause chlorophyll retention in the oat leaves below the discs. As chlorophyll retention is a common bioassay for cytokinins, these results indicate that a cytokinin-like substance is involved. With the aid of autoradiography and C¹⁴-labelled α-amino-isobutyric acid it was shown that this amino acid accumulates in the leaf nodules. Such directed transport is also a property of cytokinin.     

Fixation patterns of 14C within developing leaves of eastern cottonwood

Summary Individual leaves of eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides), representing an ontogenetic series from leaf plastochron index 0.0 to 8.0, were fed ¹⁴CO₂ photosynthetically and then harvested at times ranging from 15 to 1440 min. The lamina of each fed leaf was sectioned from tip to base into 5 parts, and each part was quantitatively assayed for ¹⁴C activity. In young leaves, the percentage of the total ¹⁴C fixed (expressed in dpm/mg of dry leaf tissue) was high in the lamina tip and decreased almost linearly toward the base. With increasing leaf age, the percentage of ¹⁴C fixed decreased in the lamina tip and increased in the base. The relative activity in mature leaves was almost uniform throughout the lamina. No differences were detected in the ¹⁴C distribution patterns within leaves over the time series.On the basis of the data presented and of anatomical observations of developing cottonwood leaves, the hypothesis that the precociously mature lamina tip may provide photosynthates to the still-expanding lamina base was shown to be invalid. It is concluded that bidirectional transport in a developing cottonwood leaf results from simultaneous import to the immature basal region and export from the mature tip.     

Growth response of barley and tomato to nitrogen stress and its control by abscisic acid,water relations and photosynthesis

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and tomato Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) were grown hydroponically and examined 2, 5, and 10 d after being deprived of nitrogen (N) supply. Leaf elongation rate declined in both species in response to N stress before there was any reduction in rate of dryweight accumulation. Changes in water transport to the shoot could not explain reduced leaf elongation in tomato because leaf water content and water potential were unaffected by N stress at the time leaf elongation began to decline. Tomato maintained its shoot water status in N-stressed plants, despite reduced water absorption per gram root, because the decline in root hydraulic conductance with N stress was matched by a decline in stomatal conductance. In barley the decline in leaf elongation coincided with a small (8%) decline in water content per unit area of young leaves; this decline occurred because root hydraulic conductance was reduced more strongly by N stress than was stomatal conductance. Nitrogen stress caused a rapid decline in tissue NO ₃ ^- pools and in NO ₃ ^- flux to the xylem, particularly in tomato which had smaller tissue NO ₃ ^- reserves. Even in barley, tissue NO ₃ ^- reserves were too small and were mobilized too slowly (60% in 2 d) to support maximal growth for more than a few hours. Organic N mobilized from old leaves provided an additional N source to support continued growth of N-stressed plants. Abscisic acid (ABA) levels increased in leaves of both species within 2 d in response to N stress. Addition of ABA to roots caused an increase in volume of xylem exudate but had no effect upon NO ₃ ^- flux to the xylem. After leaf-elongation rate had been reduced by N stress, photosynthesis declined in both barley and tomato. This decline was associated with increased leaf ABA content, reduced stomatal conductance and a decrease in organic N content. We suggest that N stress reduces growth by several mechanisms operating on different time scales: (1) increased leaf ABA content causing reduced cell-wall extensibility and leaf elongation and (2) a more gradual decline in photosynthesis caused by ABA-induced stomatal closure and by a decrease in leaf organic N.Abbreviation and symbols ABA abscisic acid - c_i leaf internal CO₂ concentration - L_p root hydraulic conductance     

Influence of gibberellic acid on <Superscript>14</Superscript>CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> metabolism,growth, and production of alkaloids in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Catharanthus roseus</Emphasis>

Changes in growth parameters, carbon assimilation efficiency, and utilization of ¹⁴CO₂ assimilate into alkaloids in plant parts were investigated at whole plant level by treatment of Catharanthus roseus with gibberellic acid (GA). Application of GA (1 000 g m⁻³) resulted in changes in leaf morphology, increase in stem elongation, leaf and internode length, plant height, and decrease in biomass content. Phenotypic changes were accompanied by decrease in contents of chlorophylls and in photosynthetic capacity. GA application resulted in higher % of total alkaloids accumulated in leaf, stem, and root. GA treatment produced negative phenotypic response in total biomass production but positive response in content of total alkaloids in leaf, stem, and roots. ¹⁴C assimilate partitioning revealed that ¹⁴C distribution in leaf, stem, and root of treated plants was higher than in untreated and variations were observed in contents of metabolites as sugars, amino acids, and organic acids. Capacity to utilize current fixed ¹⁴C derived assimilates for alkaloid production was high in leaves but low in roots of treated plants despite higher content of ¹⁴C metabolites such as sugars, amino acids, and organic acids. In spite of higher availability of metabolites, their utilization into alkaloid production is low in GA-treated roots.     

Sectorial root growth in cuttings of Coleus rehneltianus in response to localized aerial defoliation

Asymmetries in root growth in response to localized aerial defoliation were examined in Coleus rehneltianus (Lamiaceae). We confirmed that assimilate transport was sectorial by examining the distribution of ¹⁴C-labeled carbohydrates following a 24-h chase period. Integrated physiological units (IPUs), or sectors, extended from the leaves into the roots, and this was reflected in the differential growth of roots following artificial defoliation of part of the leaf canopy. When defoliation was localized within leaves or leaf halves within sectors, roots grew asymmetrically, with decreased root growth in defoliated sectors. Three root populations were identified by their location and growth responses: stem side, stem corner, and bottom side roots, and asymmetric growth was observed in all three populations. Only the growth of stem corner roots, which made up 35–90% of dry mass of the total root population, was influenced by the pattern of aerial defoliation. In contrast, asymmetries in the growth of the other two root populations appeared to reflect the distribution of leaf biomass prior to defoliation.     

The effect of irradiance, p-chloromercuribenzenesulphonic acid and fusicoccin on the long distance transport in Zea mays L. seedlings

The system consisting of a few proportional detectors with appropriate electronic components was earlier developed for in vivo studies of long distance transport in whole maize seedlings. ¹⁴CO₂ assimilation rate (P_a), time of radioactivity appearing in the loading region (AT), transport speed in the leaf (TS_l), transport speed between the leaf and the roots (TS_r), the maximum radioactivity values detected in the leaf below the feeding area (R_l) and in the mesocotyl (R_r) from leaves to roots in maize seedlings were calculated from the obtained temporal profiles of radioactivity. The study was undertaken to follow the changes in separate steps of long distance transport in maize seedlings as affected by two light irradiances and application of p-chloromercuribenzenesulphonic acid and fusicoccin, with the aim to investigate different steps of long distance transport, particularly phloem loading. The method used allows to study in vivo the different aspects of long distance transport in maize seedlings, both qualitatively and quantitatively. It was shown that the characteristics obtained from the radioactivity profiles corresponded to different steps of long distance transport, as assimilate synthesis, phloem loading, and phloem translocation. It was also demonstrated that although active phloem loading participate in assimilate export from the leaves, assimilate transport along the maize seedling might undergo accordingly to assimilate gradient, particularly under light irradiance higher than during the growth.     

Nonuniform Transport of Phosphorus from Single Roots to the Leaves of Zea mays

The postulate that single roots of Zea mays transport their absorbed phosphorus nonuniformly to the leaves was tested. Plants were grown under growth chamber conditions for three to four weeks in nutrient solution. At this stage of growth a series of plants was placed into a system in which two roots on each plant were allowed to absorb either ³³P or ³²P from uptake solutions for time intervals of up to 24 hours. Plants subsequently were harvested such that each leaf was partitioned into samples containing tissue from one side or the other of the midrib. All samples were assayed for ³³P and ³²P and the results were expressed as the amount of total P transported into different plant parts from a single root. Nonuniform P accumulation in the leaves occurred and different patterns of accumulation, dependent on the type of root chosen for uptake were observed. Nearly uniform P accumulation occurred between one side and the other of a given leaf when transport was from radicle roots. In marked contrast, transport from adventitious roots resulted in an alternating pattern of accumulation between one side and the other of each successive leaf up the stem. The seminal root system supplied more P to the older leaves than did the adventitious root system. The nature of these nonuniform P transport patterns is attributed to the vascular organization between roots and leaves.