Effect of Photoperiod on Photosynthate Partitioning and Diurnal Rhythms in Sucrose Phosphate Synthase Activity in Leaves of Soybean (Glycine max L. [Merr.]) and Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.)

Studies were conducted to identify the existence of diurnal rhythms in sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity in leaves of three soybean (Glycine max L. [Merr.]) and two tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) cultivars and the effect of photoperiod (15 versus 7 hours) on carbohydrate partitioning and the rhythm in enzyme activity. Acclimation of all the genotypes tested to a short day (7 hours) photoperiod resulted in increased rates of starch accumulation, whereas rates of translocation, foliar sucrose concentrations, and activities of SPS were decreased relative to plants acclimated to long days (15 hours). Under the long day photoperiod, two of the three soybean cultivars (`Ransom' and `Jupiter') and one of the two tobacco cultivars (`22NF') studied exhibited a significant diurnal rhythm in SPS activity. With the soybean cultivars, acclimation to short days reduced the activity of SPS (leaf fresh weight basis) and tended to dampen the amplitude of the rhythm. With the tobacco cultivars, photoperiod affected the shape of the SPS-activity rhythm. The mean values for SPS activity (calculated from observations made during the light period) were correlated positively with translocation rates and were correlated negatively with starch accumulation rates. Overall, the results support the postulate that SPS activity is closely associated with starch/sucrose levels in leaves, and that acclimation to changes in photoperiod may be associated with changes in the activity of SPS.