| Abstract: | Exposure of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) cv. S23 to 0, 50, and400 µg m–3 SO2 for an initial 29 d (first harvest),and for an additional 22 d period of regrowth (second harvest),resulted in distinct alterations in carbohydrate metabolismat each harvest. At the first harvest, exposure to 50 µgm–3 increased concentrations of free and total carbohydrates,whereas exposure to 400 µg m–3 resulted in concentrationshardly different from those in control plants. At both SO2 concentrations,more assimilate was retained as free carbohydrate rather thanas storage carbohydrate. Comparison of assimilate distributionat the end of the light, and at the end of the dark period atthe first harvest led to the conclusion that light-mediatedmetabolism is more sensitive to SO2 exposure than dark metabolism,and that assimilate distribution might be controlled by at leasttwo processes exhibiting different SO2 sensitivities. |
