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- Author or Editor: Wayne H. Loescher x
Diurnal fluctuations in soluble carbohydrates and starch were monitored in young (expanding), mature (first fully expanded), and old (nearing senescence) celery (Apium graveolens L.) leaves. In all tissues, mannitol and sucrose were the carbohydrates present in the highest concentrations. In old and young leaflets and their petioles, there was little change in levels of mannitol and sucrose in 26 hours. In mature leaflets, sucrose accumulated in the light and decreased in the dark; mannitol increased slightly in late afternoon. Starch concentration, although quite low, showed definite diurnal fluctuations in mature leaflets, but only small changes in young and old leaflets. Both sucrose and mannitol were present in mature petiole phloem tissues. Mannitol concentrations were high in the adjacent storage parenchyma tissue, but sucrose was almost undetectable. These data support earlier findings that sucrose is produced, translocated, and metabolized throughout the celery plant. Mannitol is also translocated, but also serves as a major storage carbohydrate in leaf tissues, especially petiole parenchyma. Starch serves as a minor short-term storage compound in leaflets.
Abstract
Nonstructural carbohydrates of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L. ‘Bing’) changed dramatically both qualitatively and quantitatively during the year. In perennial tissues, total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC) were highest at leaf abscission. TNC increased sharply in spurs at budbreak, but, in other perennial tissues, reserves decreased with or before budbreak. TNC in all but spurs were least, e.g., 2% to 4% of fall levels, shortly after full bloom, but then immediately began to increase. Accumulations slowed during the last 4 to 6 weeks of fruit growth and then increased after harvest. Prebloom decreases and postbloom increases occurred earlier in 1- and 2-year-old shoots when compared to trunk or root tissues. Starch was the most common storage material. During winter, interconversion of starch and soluble carbohydrates in wood of the trunk and 1- and 2-year-old shoots was apparent. Sucrose was the predominant soluble carbohydrate during dormancy, but sorbitol dominated during active growth. Raffinose was present only during dormancy, and inositol only when leaves were present. Because sweet cherry flowers and fruits early, carbohydrate reserves could critically affect productivity.
Abstract
Extraction and assay of sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) throughout fruit maturation of 3 apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) cultivars, watercore-resistant ‘Golden Delicious,’ occasionally susceptible ‘McIntosh’, and normally susceptible ‘Starkrimson,’ showed no relationship between susceptibility to watercore and extractable enzyme activity. There was, however, a relationship between increased SDH activity and onset of the climacteric as measured by ethylene and CO2 evolution, suggesting that SDH, like certain other enzymes, increases during maturation.
Abstract
Relationships between leaf area per fruit and fruit weight, color, and soluble solids were modeled on spurs isolated following pit hardening on 2-year-old wood of ‘Bing’ sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.). Leaf area per fruit was found to be the largest measured source of variability in the three fruit quality parameters examined. Leaf area per fruit accounted for 66%, 36%, and 53% of the variability in fruit weight, fruit color, and soluble solids, respectively, at Pullman, Wash. Leaf area per spur accounted for 54%, 27%, and 28% of these same fruit quality parameters at Prosser, Wash. In all instances, there was a positive correlation between fruit quality and leaf area per fruit. Soluble solids content was most sensitive to increases in leaf area, followed by fruit weight and color. Leaf area per fruit is important because it represents photosynthetic potential. Ample productive leaf area is essential to producing high-quality sweet cherries.
Abstract
Mesocarp development of peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch cv. Redhaven] as measured by fresh weight and size increase, progressed along a double sigmoid curve which was reflected in the activity of extractable wall-associated α- and β-nitrophenylgalactosidases. Enzyme activities, both on protein and dry weight basis, rose rapidly during early fruit development, leveled off, then again rose rapidly at maturation. There was more α-nitrophenylgalactosidase activity than β-nitrophenylgalactosidase activity throughout development. Increases in both galactosidases followed rather than preceded increases in size. The final increases were, however, well correlated with fruit maturation.
Abstract
The rate and efficiency of photosynthesis (PS) is unquestionably one of the primary determinants of crop yield. Yet, as this symposium illustrates, many other factors contribute to plant productivity. Indeed, the exact relationship between PS rate and yield remains undefined. For several years we have now been interested in factors that affect PS rate in both C3 and C4 plants, not only within the plant, but also external to it. Internal factors affecting PS that will be discussed include leaf age, leaf canopy, photorespiration, stage of plant development (including both vegetative and reproductive phases), and the occurrence of little-recognized metabolic pathways such as polyol synthesis and transport. External factors that affect PS, in addition to obvious environmental determinants such as temperature, light, and water, include the seasonal growth cycle. While we still do not understand how all of these factors interact to affect yield, we are beginning to understand their singular effects. Control of these factors, once thought to be within reach even before the advent of biotechnology, remains likely, but distant.
Grafting is a well-established agricultural practice, and it now has implications for the commercialization of transgenic plants. In transgrafted plants, only one part (scion or rootstock) is transgenic with the other part untransformed. However, transgenes may affect both mobile and immobile endogenous metabolites (e.g., RNAs, proteins, and phytohormones) and mobility has implications for transgrafting. In the phloem, long-distance transport of mobile metabolites can play important roles in plant development and signaling. In a transgrafted plant, an immobile transgene product (ITP) is not likely to be translocated across the graft union. In contrast, mobile transgene products (MTP) may be translocated across the graft. Regardless of the mobility of transgene products (TP), interaction of transgenic and nontransgenic parts in transgrafted plants through either the MTP or ITP has been demonstrated to be effective in facilitating changes in nontransgenic portions of the plant. Consequently, and particularly in fruit crops, transgrafting provides the potential for improving products from their nontransgenic parts with the possibility of minimizing the controversy over transgenic crops. This review focuses mainly on the mobility of TP and effects on the whole transgrafted plant.
Abstract
Source–sink relationships in sweet cherry were altered by girdling limbs both above and below fruiting spurs. Spurs isolated by girdling both above and below had lower total fruit weight per spur and lower weight per fruit then those above or below girdles. Fruit number per spur was not altered, but soluble solids and fruit color were lower in fruits from isolated spurs than fruit from spurs either above or below girdles. Fruit on spurs above girdles were generally highest in soluble solids and fruit color. These factors indicate fruit on isolated spurs also were delayed in maturity. Spurs below girdles were unaffected by girdling. Girdling had no effect on spur leaf net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, or fruit water loss rate. The results indicate that spur leaves alone do not have the capacity to support fruit growth in sweet cherry and must, therefore, be supplemented by photosynthates from other sources.
Abstract
A controlled environment study was conducted to determine if ‘Russet Burbank’ potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) were more tolerant of NH4-N as established plants than as young plants. When grown on one N source for 86 days, root and shoot growth were best with NO3-N, intermediate with NH4 + NO3, and least with NH4-N. Changing the N source from NO3-N or NH4 + NO3 to NH4-N at tuber initiation (58 days after planting) reduced both shoot and root growth. Conversely, changing the N source from NH4-N to NH4 + NO3 improved growth. The highest tuber weights were obtained with continuous NH4 + NO3 or when NH4-N was applied at tuber initiation to plants previously grown on NO3-N alone. Nitrogen source also influenced absorption of other nutrients. Changing the N source once plants were established, however, did not have a consistent effect on mineral composition. We conclude that when NH4-N is the sole form of N available to the plant, it is detrimental to potato growth regardless of stage of development.