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The distribution of copper and soluble carbohydrates in wheat plants grown at high and low levels of copper supply
Author(s) -
Graham Robin D.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
zeitschrift für pflanzenernährung und bodenkunde
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 0044-3263
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.19801430205
Subject(s) - copper , pollen , agronomy , sterility , chemistry , biology , horticulture , botany , organic chemistry
Wheat plants were grown at a high and a low level of copper nutrition in deep pots of sandy soil in a glasshouse. Pots were harvested in duplicate every two weeks for five months and plant parts were analysed for soluble carbohydrates and copper. The hypothesis that copper‐deficient plants failed to set grain because concentrations of soluble carbohydrates were too low for grain development could not be sustained by these results, which thereby supported an alternative hypothesis of grain failure owing to pollen sterility. Changes in concentrations of copper and of soluble carbohydrates were not in parallel but often opposing. Retranslocation of copper in relation to changes in relative dry weight of plant parts is discussed.