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THE CONTRIBUTION OF CURRENT PHOTOSYNTHESIS TO GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE TULIP DURING FLOWERING
Author(s) -
HO L. C.,
REES A. R.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1977.tb01543.x
Subject(s) - starch , bulb , photosynthesis , biology , botany , horticulture , respiration , food science
SUMMARY Leaves of tulip plants were treated with 14 CO 2 on three occasions during flowering, one week apart–at the bud stage, at early flowering and when flowers were fully opened. The amount of 14 C fixation was examined 5 min after a pulse application of 14 CO 2 and the organic carbon and 14 C contents of various organs were examined 24 h later. Total carbon in the mother‐bulb scales fell over 14 days to only 40% of the initial value, whilst that of all new organs increased by 71%. A negligible amount of 14 C was recovered from scales or from roots. The 14 C recovered from the flower and stem accounted for 83% of 14 C exported from leaves at the early flowering stage. The total carbon content of the daughter bulbs increased uniformly with time but the 14 C recovered from the daughter bulbs was initially smail but increased to 59% of the exported 14 C when the flower was fully opened. The imported 14 C in flower and stem was mainly recovered from the soluble and residual (non‐starch, insoluble) fractions, whilst that in daughter bulbs was from the soluble and starch fractions. The amount of 14 C lost by respiration fell from 20% to 10% of initial 14 C uptake over the 3‐week period.