The Movement of Zinc through Excised Stems of Seedlings of Pinus radiata D. Don.

Radioactive Zn solns were drawn through 10 cm stem sectionsexcised from seedlings of P. radiata to determine the locationand quantity of ⁶⁵Zn remaining in the stems and the concn of⁶⁵Zn in the exudate. Zinc was removed from solns passing through the excised stemsby processes which appeared to be non-metabolic because coolingthe inflow solns did not decrease the proportion of Zn removedand non-specific because Ca competed with Zn for ‘exchangesites’. The formation of anionic or uncharged complexes between Zn andEDTA, or citrate resulted in more Zn passing through the excisedstems. Consistent with the greater stability of Zn-EDTA complexesmore Zn passed through stems treated with EDTA than with citrate.Decreasing the pH of solns containing Zn, Ca and potassium citrateincreased the amount of Zn deposited in the basal (inflow) endof the stems, probably by decreasing the amount of Zn boundto citrate. Increasing the conen of Zn in test solns containingZn, Ca and potassium citrate did not change the distributionof ⁶⁵Zn in the stems as the capacity of the stems to removeZn from soln was large enough to remove all the free Zn in allthe solns Pinus radiata D. Don, pine, zinc, movement, stems