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Remobilization of fructans in Phippsia algida during rapid inflorescence development
Author(s) -
Solhaug Knut Asbjørn,
Aares Erik
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.1994.tb00422.x
Subject(s) - fructan , inflorescence , photoperiodism , biology , dry matter , primordium , horticulture , botany , growing season , zoology , sucrose , food science , biochemistry , gene
Plants of Phippsia algida (Sol.) R. Br. were cultivated in short days (SD; 8 h summer daylight) and in long days (LD; 8 h summer daylight + 16 h low irradiance extension of 5 μmol m −2 s −1 ) at 9, 15, and 21°C. In this plant, inflorescence primordia are initiated in both LD and SD, but LD are required for heading and inflorescence development (Heide, O.M.; Physiol. Plant. 85: 606–610. 1992). Total dry matter production was slightly increased by LD over SD at 9°C, while it was little affected by daylength at 15 and 21°C. Phippsia algida contained mainly fructans with a low degree of polymerization, largely of the kestose series. After 29 to 42 days (depending on the temperatature) of photoperiodic treatment, fructans constituted 15–20 percent of dry mass of SD‐grown plants compared with only 2–3 percent of dry mass for LD‐grown flowering plants. There was no difference due to photoperiod in levels of mono‐ and disaccharides. Shifting the SD‐grown plants to LD conditions resulted in rapid inflorescence development, accompanied by a parallel rapid decrease in the fructan level, while the level of mono‐ and disaccharides remained constant. The results show that fructans are important as storage carbohydrates in the late snow‐bed species P. algida that normally requires several growing seasons for completing its life cycle. Exhaustion of this storage pool during the extremely fast flower and fruit development constitutes an essential part of the plants adaption to a very short growing season.