Photoassimilation of CO2 by Isolated Bundle-Sheath Strands of Zea mays

The role of malate decarboxylation as a source of CO₂ and NADPH for the evolution of photosynthesis of isolated maize bundle-sheath strands has been investigated. The bundle-sheath cells were supplied with malate plus NADP, in the presence of intermediates of the Calvin cycle to increase the rate of CO₂ fixation. The effects of malate addition on the rate of 3 phospoglycerate synthesis, with non-saturating concentrations of bicarbonate, can be explained by an increase of the cellular pool of CO₂ in the cells due to malate decarboxylation. The CO₂ reacting with RuDP to give phosphoglycerate corresponds effectively to carbon atom 4 of malate. Malate addition produces an enhancement of the rate of CO₂ incorporation which is much more important when the reducing power is the limiting process for the evolution of the Calvin cycle (with phosphoglycerate as added substrate and/or in the presence of DCMU. These results demonstrate the utilization of NADPH produced by malate decarboxylation for the regeneration of RuDP. NADPH can also reverse the reaction of malate decarboxylation and gives rise to a synthesis of malate by carboxylation of pyruvate. In contrast, the pattern of ¹⁴C distribution among compounds is not strongly modified by malate addition. This result suggests that PGA reduction in the whole leaf must occur also in mesophyll cells to allow correctregeneration of the reduced compounds of the photosynthetic cycle.     

Structure, Production and Leaf Area Dynamics: A Comparison of Lodgepole Pine and Sunflower

Populations of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var latifoliaEngelm) and sunflower (Heltanthus annuus L) were examined tocompare the influence of stand density on canopy structure andthe association between canopy structure and the productionof stem volume The plastic responses of canopy structure tocompetitive interactions indicated that the structural dynamicsof lodgepole pine and sunflower populations were similar, thoughthe degree of plastic response differed The influence of canopystructure on the production of stem volume, however, was fundamentallydifferent efficiency decreased as the mean crown size of lodgepolepine populations increased, but this decrease did not occurin sunflower populations This difference was attributed to thelarge accumulation of branch biomass required to display foliageeffectively in the canopies of the perennial lodgepole pine,accumulation which does not occur in the annual sunflower Lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta var latifolia Engelm, sunflower, Helianthus annuus L, leaf area, canopy structure, stand production, carbon allocation