Detection of Potato Tuber-Inducing Activity in Potato Leaves and Old Tubers

Potato tuberization is induced under short days but substancewhich triggers it is still unknown. Tuber-inducing activitywas detected in leaves and old tubers using single-node stemsegment culture in vitro as a bioassay method. The activityin leaves increased under short days, but remained almost constantunder long days. It was also found in physiologically old tubers.Anion exchange chromatography of the ethanol extract gave aneluate that exhibited strong tuber-inducing activity. Partialpurification revealed the presence of two kinds of active substances,one of which seemed to be a glycoside of the other. These substancesappear to be different from known plant hormones. (Received October 19, 1987; Accepted June 9, 1988)     

The Influence of Carbohydrate and Mineral Nutrient Supply on the Growth of Potato Tubers

The uptake and distribution of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassiumhas been studied throughout the life of potato plants. Thereappears to be a net loss of all three elements from the plantduring emergence growth even though uptake occurs. When daughtertubers are formed they very quickly become the dominant sinkfor mineral nutrients, the concentrations of N, P, and K remainingsteady for a long period. These concentrations are maintainedin spite of decreasing rates of uptake, indicating the transferenceof mobile ions from the haulm to the growing tubers. ¹⁴C tracer experiments have shown that after tuberization thereis a greater export of recently incorporated photosynthate fromthe leaves than takes place before tuberization. There is nogood correlation between the size of individual tubers and theamount of photosynthate transported into them. This is thoughtto be because the largest tubers are not necessarily growingfaster than the smaller tubers. The most active sinks are alsomost active in converting the mobile ¹⁴C into storage compounds.The mother tuber continues to import ¹⁴C until it is detachedfrom the plant, but over much of this period there is no changein the tuber dry-weight, indicating that there is an equivalentexport from the tuber. The similarities between these distribution patterns and thosefound in tubers showing second-growth are described and theimplications with respect to the control of tuber growth discussed.     

Possible Involvement of Jasmonic Acid in Tuberization of Yam Plants

Jasmonic acid (JA) was isolated from yam leaves (Dioscorea batatas),with the guidance of assay for tuber-inducing activity whichwas carried out by cultures of single-node segments of potatostems in vitro, and identified by HPLC and mass spectrometry.The level of endogenous JA in the leaves of the plants, whichbeing 5 ? 10^–7 M at the first harvest, increased continuouslywith the growth of the plants. The effect of exogenous JA onthe tuberization of yam plants was examined in vitro, and itwas found to have strong tuber-inducing activity. The thresholdconcentration of JA for induction of yam tuberization was ca.10^–7M. These results suggest that tuberization of yamplants is controlled by JA. (Received February 25, 1991; Accepted April 15, 1991)     

Enhancement of Tuberization of Axillary Shoot Buds of Potato (Solarium tuberosum L.) Cultivars Cultured In Vitro

Factors controlling growth and tuberization of axillary budsin shoots of plantlets of potato (Solarium tuberosum L.) culturedin vitro were investigated. Correlative inhibition restrainedgrowth and tuberization of the axillary buds. Exposure of intactplantlets for various periods (4 to 48 h) to low (2 or 12C)or high (30 C) temperatures as comparedto 18C, did not alleviatecorrelative inhibition. Removal of the apical part of the shoot,the roots or both was generally ineffective Elevating sucroseconcentration from 30 to 80 g dm^–3 promoted tuberizationon axillary buds, and the cytokinin 6-(-dimethylallylamino)purine (2iP), alleviated correlative inhibition and enhancedtuberization in intact plantlets. In the whole plantlet mostof the tubers were formed on the basal nodes, however, oncecorrelative inhibition was eliminated by the dissection of theshoot to single node sections, tubers were formed on every axillarybud. The single most effective factor inducing tuberizationin single node sections was the growth retardant ancymidol,an inhibitor of giberellin biosynthesis. Key words: Potato, Solanum tuberosum L., in vitro tuberization, correlative inhibition     

Tuberization in Potato at High Temperatures: Gibberellin Content and Transport from Buds

Warm temperatures (35°C day/30°C night) which inhibittuberization in potato (Solanum tuberosum L., cv. Sebago) increasedgibberellin activity in crude extracts from buds, but not frommature leaves, as determined by the lettuce hypocotyl bioassay.Changes in the growth of tubers and stolons indicate the occurrenceof basipetal movement of GA₃ applied to the terminal bud ora mature leaf. ¹⁴C labelling from GA₃ or mevalonic acid injectedjust below the terminal bud was recovered in the lower shoot,stolons and tubers, but the amount transported was greater atcool temperatures (20/15°C). It is concluded that high temperaturespromote the synthesis of gibberellin in the buds rather thantransport to the stolons. Solanum tuberosum L., potato, tuberization, gibberellin     

HPLC法测定甘薯叶片中的叶黄素

建立甘薯叶片中有效成分叶黄素含量的高效液相色谱测定方法,以寻求含量高的甘薯品种。采用Waters SunFire^TM C₁₈(150 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm )色谱柱;以甲醇—水为95:5(V/V)为流动相,流速为0.8 mL·min^-1;检测波长为445 nm;外标法定量。此色谱条件下,叶黄素含量在5~100 μg·mL^-1范围内时,与峰面积呈线性关系;样品平均回收率为99.5%;相对标准偏差 (RSD)为1.9%(n=5)。该方法灵敏、准确、专属性强,适用于甘薯叶片中叶黄素的测定;大部分供试品种间存在显著差异,其中以苏薯8号的含量最高。     

Potato tuber-inducing activities of salicylic acid and related compounds

Salicylic acid (SA) induced potato tuberization in vitro at concentrations greater than 10^–5 M. A comparison of the tuber-inducing activities of various related compounds suggested that derivatives of benzoic acid with a free carboxyl group and a substituent at the C-2 position of the benzene ring have this activity. Although SA had the strongest activity among the compounds tested, the activity was about one thousandth of that of natural jasmonic acid (1R,2S-jasmonic acid) in terms of the threshold concentration for activity. Spraying SA to leaves of plants grown under tuber-noninducing conditions (long days) induced tuberization. However, the natural occurrence of SA was not detected in the leaves of potato plants that had been grown under tuber-inducing conditions (short days) and had begun to form tubers. The results seem to exclude the possibility of the involvement of SA in the natural tuberization of potato plants.     

A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR ASSESSING THE CONTACT TOXICITY OF MOLLUSCICIDES TO SLUGS

A technique is described to accurately assess the dermal contactdose-mortality response of molluscicides. The technique involvescarbon dioxide anaesthesia of laboratory reared Deroceras reticulatum(Müller) followed by application of test substances insolution to the dorsal surface. The LD₅₀ of the substances testedwere as follows: Sodium pentachlorophenate, 55.9 ng.mg^–1,Copper sulphate, 124.1 ng.mg^–1, Methiocarb, 314.6 ng.mg^–1and Potassium permanganate, 418.9 ng.mg^–1 body weight. (Received 18 August 1988; accepted 17 December 1988)     

Heat Tolerance and Assimilate Transport in Different Potato Genotypes

Six potato genotypes with different degrees of heat tolerancewere grown in pots at 38/25 'b0C maximum/minimum temperatureat 14 h daylength under natural light glasshouse conditions.Prior to sampling, the plants were given a 14 h dark period.Photosynthesis was measured at 28 'b0C and at a saturating lightintensity of more than 1200 µEm^-2 s^-1. During the optimumphotosynthetic period (09.00–12.30 h), the leaves of heat-tolerantpotato genotypes (DTO-28, Norchip, and Desiree) had 4–5times more soluble sugars (mainly sucrose) and higher sucrose-phosphatesynthase activity than the leaves of the heat-susceptible genotypes(Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Chandramukhi, and Kufri Muthu). However,starch accumulation in leaves of susceptible genotypes was abouttwice that in tolerant genotypes. All susceptible genotypesshowed a low rate of assimilate transport from leaves and ahigher shoot/root ratio which indicated that the shoot remainedthe predominant sink for photosynthate. Activities of amylaseand invertase in leaves were also higher in susceptible genotypes.It is suggested that the poor yield of heat-susceptible genotypesat high temperature and long day conditions is related to insufficientavailability of the transportable sugar, sucrose. Key words: Solarium tuberosum, carbon partitioning, heat stress     

Mannose Feeding and Its Effect on Starch Synthesis in Developing Potato Tuber Discs

Starch synthesis and accumulation is strictly associated withthe tuberization process in potatoes. To study the role of thelevels of ortho-phosphate in controlling starch biosynthesisin tuber tissues, the effect of exogenous mannose on this metabolicprocess was studied. Mannose (10 mM) had almost no effect onthe capacity of tuber slices to uptake ^I4C-sucrose. Significantstimulation of starch synthesis, however, was evident in thepresence of mannose. These results support the role of ortho-phosphatein modifying starch synthesis via the allosteric regulationof ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase. (Received June 6, 1989; Accepted August 1, 1989)     

Kinetin-induced tuberization of potato in vitro: on the mode of action of kinetin.

The tuberization percentage of etiolated potato (Solatium luberosumL.) sprout sections cultured in vitro in the absence of kinetinwas 61% (endogenous tuberization potential). The presence of5 mg/liter kinetin in the medium increased tuberization to 94%. In a time course experiment soluble ADP glucose: -l,4-glucan-4-glucosyl transferase (starch synthetase) activity extractedfrom etiolated sprout sections cultured in vitro remained low(one twenty-fifth of the activity present in the mother tubersat time 0), and was almost constant throughout 21 days of culture.No difference in activity was found in sections grown in kinetin-containingmedium in comparison with those grown in the absence of kinetin. During tuber initiation of etiolated potato stolons culturedin vitro, kinetin caused stimulation of phosphorylase activitywhich continued until the late stages of tuberization when italso stimulated ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase activity. Kinetindid not affect amylase activity. Addition of 11 mg/liter kinetinto the enzyme reaction mixture did not change the activity ofsolublestarch synthetase in vitro. The net accumulation of starch caused by kinetin was partiallythe result of the stimulation of starch biosynthesis throughphosphorylase at an early stage, and both phosphorylase andpyrophosphorylase at a later stage. ¹ Present address: Department of Horticulture, Washington StateUniversity, Pullman, WA 99163, USA. (Received January 6, 1976; )     

Biochemical Effects of Gamma Radiation on Potato and Sweet Potato Tissues

Relationship between the chemical constituents of tobacco leaves and the gaseous constituents of cigarette smoke from which K value¹⁾ was computed was discussed and the following presuppositions were demonstrated to be correct.

1. Fibrous substances in tobacco leaves are the main precursors of acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, acrolein, acetone, methylethylketone, diacetyl, methanol, furan, an unknown compound, No. 6 and an unknown compound, No. 16 in cigarette smoke.

2. Sugars in tobacco leaves are the main precursors of 2-methylfuran and 2,5-dimethyl- furan in cigarette smoke.

3. Resinous substances in tobacco leaves are the main precursors of isoprene and an unknown compound, No. 2 in cigarette smoke.

     

THE ROLE OF AUXIN IN THE PHOTOPERIODIC TUBERIZATION IN BEGONIA EVANSIANA ANDR.

The formation of aerial tubers in Begonia plants, an SD response,was inhibited by IAA, NAA and IBA applied to their leaves duringthe dark periods. The effectiveness of IAA differed accordingto the time of application during the dark periods, and themost sensitive time varied with daylengths employed. In order to inhibit the tuberization under optimal photoperiods(8-hr SDs), IAA had to be applied during the first 2 days orso of the SDs. Under non-optimal photoperiods, however, IAAwas effective even when applied somewhat later. The auxin activity of leaf extracts from the plants subjectedto 8-hr SDs decreased during the first 2 or 3 days to a minimum,and then increased until finally began to decrease, again; undernon-optimal photoperiods, the minimum of auxin activity wasattained more slowly. The paper-chromatographic study suggestedthat the change in auxin activity was mainly due to the changein IAA content. The number of SDs making the auxin content minimal agreed withthe minimum number of SDs required for tuberization. On the basis of the above results, the part played by endogenousauxin in photoperiodic induction is discussed. ¹Present address: Institute for Agricultural Research, TôhokuUniversity, Sendai. ²Present address: Biological Institute, Yamaguchi University,Yamaguchi.     

Partial Characterization of the Iodination Site in D1 Protein of Manganese-Retaining and Manganese-Depleted Photosystem II Membranes

In manganese-retaining PS II membranes, photooxidized iodide-125labels a site close to the Cl^–- and/or manganese (in S₂state)-binding sites in D1 protein, whereas in manganese-depletedPS II membranes it labels a site close to the Z^$-binding sitein D1 protein (Ikeuchi et al.(1988) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 932:160–169). Amino acid analysis revealed that monoiodotyrosineis the sole amino acid iodinated, and peptide mapping analysisshowed that the iodination site is located between proline-141and methionine-172 of D1 in both samples. These results implythat the tyrosine residue at 147 and/or 161 of D1 is the targetof iodination irrespective of the presence or absence of manganese.Although both of the two tyrosine residues stay in membrane-spanning-helix based on proposed D1 structure, only the tyrosine-161residue is close to the lumen surface and seems to be the mostlikely candidate for iodination site. It could be also assumedin turn that Cl^–-, manganese- and Z^$-binding sites areclose to this tyrosine-161 residue in D1 protein. (Received February 5, 1988; Accepted March 26, 1988)     

Quantitative Growth Relationships of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz): Crop Development in a Savanna Wet Season

Growth characteristics of Manihot esculenta Crantz cv. Cubanawere determined for a crop, cultivated in savanna soil withfive different levels of fertilizer. A population of 25000 plantsha^–1 was studied using conventional growth analysis techniques. The storage root does not act as a sink for large amouns ofassimilates and differences in growth response were mainly aresult of the morphology development and function of leavesin the cassava canopy (source activity). Thus, during tuberization,the cultivar Cubana produces a progressively higher proportionof new leaves, maintaining throughout the season a relativelyhigh net assimilation rate and leaf area index. Manihot esculenta Crantz, Cassava, source-sink relationship, net assimilation rate, leaf area index, growth analysis     

35S-Methionine Incorporates Differentially into Polypeptides across Leaves of Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)

The distribution of proteins across leaves may have significantimpact on optimal photosynthetic performance of leaves, howeverlittle is known about the distribution of proteins and proteinsynthesis across C₃ leaves. We report here a detailed investigationof ³⁵S-methionine incorporation into polypeptides and the steady-statepolypeptide profiles at different leaf depths across spinachleaves. About 10 highly incorporating polypeptides (three with apparentmolecular masses of 23 kDa, 21 kDa and 17 kDa were especiallydominant) were detected in a few medial leaf sections. Thesehighly incorporating polypeptides were soluble proteins, exceptfor the 17 kDa polypeptide, which was associated with thylakoidmembranes. All of the highly incorporating polypeptides werenuclearly encoded. Light significantly enhanced ³⁵S-methionineincorporation into the highly incorporating polypeptides in"sun" grown leaves, but not in "shade" grown leaves. Microautoradiographyshowed that the highly incorporating polypeptides were associatedmainly with the phloem tissue. A specific identity or functionfor the polypeptides is not known. The concentration of most polypeptides on an areal basis appearedto increase with leaf depth from the adaxial leaf surface, reachinga maximum around 25% of the leaf depth, and then declined graduallytowards the abaxial surface. The periphery of cells exhibitedhigh levels of ³⁵S-methionine incorporation, and microautoradiographyshowed that the label was mainly located in the symplast. Ingeneral, polypeptides exhibited higher rates of ³⁵S-methionineincorporation in the palisade mesophyll than in the spongy mesophy,probably due to cytoplasmic density and light. The data showthat it may be possible to study vascular bundle proteins usingparadermal leaf sections. In addition, we now can investigatehow factors such as light or CO₂ might control protein distributionacross leaves, and further explore the complex interactionsamong photosynthesis, leaf anatomy, and light. ¹The research was supported by grants from the Competitive ResearchGrants Office, U.S. Department of Agriculture (No. 91-37100-6672and No. 93-37100-8855).     

Studies on nitrogen metabolism in tobacco plants IX. Effect of various compounds on proline biosynthesis in the green leaves

In order to obtain information on the correlation between thebiosynthesis of proline from glutamate and photosynthesis ingreen leaves, the effects of various substances on proline formationfrom ¹⁴C-glutamate have been investigated using tobacco leafdisks in the light. Inhibitors of oxygen evolution in photosynthesis,such as CMU, strongly inhibited the proline formation. The inhibitioncould not be reversed by the addition of reduced NADP, ascorbateplus 2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol or ATP. Uncouplers or inhibitorsof photophosphorylation such as DNP, arsenate, chlorpromazineand octyl guanidine suppressed the formation of proline fromglutamate. In old leaves, the addition of ADP or ATP markedlyaccelerated proline formation, while neither of these compoundswas effective in young leaves. It was inferred that the reductionof glutamate to ¹-pyrroline-5-carboxylate in green leaves isclosely associated with noncyclic photophosphorylation. (Received August 17, 1967; )     

Temperature Response of Early Foliar Expansion of Potato and Wheat

We studied the course of early leaf area expansion and specificleaf area (S_LA) in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and wheat (Triticumaestivum L.) genotypes and tested whether air temperature explainsdifferences in these courses within different environments.Such knowledge can be used to improve crop growth modelling.The relative rate of leaf area expansion (R_L) of potato andwheat decreased with thermal time, but was nearly linear upto a leaf area index (L) of 1.0. TheR_L (L < 1; mean: 17.9x 10^-3°C^-1 d^-1) of potato showed an interaction betweengenotype and environment, and varied with year. TheR_L (L <1; mean: 7.1 x 10^-3°C^-1 d^-1) of winter wheat was lower thanthat of spring wheat (mean: 10.9 x 10^-3°C^-1 d^-1), and bothvaried with year. S_LAof potato increased nearly linearly withthermal time from 5 to 15 m² kg^-1at 50% emergence, to 20 to25 m² kg^-1at 155°Cd, and then decreased slightly. The S_LAofboth winter and spring wheat began at 16 to 23 m² kg^-1and inmost cases increased slightly with thermal time. In potato,regression parameters of S_LAwith thermal time were affectedby environment (management conditions and year) and genotype;in wheat they were affected by environment (year and site).Treatment effects on R_Lof potato were not correlated with thoseon S_LA , and were only partly correlated for wheat. Thereforewe conclude that the early foliar expansion of potato is associatedwith a strong increase in S_LA , and not so for wheat. For bothcrops the course of early leaf area expansion and ofS_LA withair temperature is not robust over environments and genotypes.The consequences of these results for modelling are discussed.Copyright 2000 Annals of Botany Company Triticum aestivum, spring wheat, winter wheat, Solanum tuberosum, leaf area expansion, specific leaf area, early growth, genotype, environment, modelling     

Some Properties of Ribulose Bisphosphate Carboxylase Extracted from Tomato Leaves

Ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.39 [EC] ) activity wasvery low in tomato leaf extracts unless prepared in the presenceof Mg²⁺, and polyclar AT. With young leaves, but not with fully-expanded leaves, the RuBP carboxylase activityextracted was increased by prolonged illumination of the leaves(2 h). The main effect of the light treatment was to increasethe specific activity of the enzyme but there was also a smallincrease in RuBP carboxylase protein. Tomato leaf RuBP carboxylasein extracts had specific activities in the range 0.2–0–6µmol CO₂ min^–1 mg^–-1 total protein extracted,or 0.5–1.2 µmol CO₂ min^–1 mg^–1 RuBPcarboxylase, and an apparent K_m (CO₂) at 20 ?C of 9.3 ? 1.2µM (using a of 6.407). Key words: Tomato leaf, RuBP carboxylase, Properties