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Pathway of phloem unloading in tobacco sink leaves. [Nicotiana tabacum]

Conference · · Plant Physiol., Suppl.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6070830

Phloem unloading in transition sink leaves of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) was analyzed by quantitative autoradiography. Source leaves were labeled with /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ and experimental treatments were begun approximately 1 h later when label had entered the sink leaves. Autoradiographs were prepared from rapidly frozen, lyophilized sink tissue at the beginning and end of the treatments and the amount of label in veins and in surrounding cells was determined by microdensitometry. Photoassimilate unloaded from third order and larger, but not smaller, veins. Long-distance import and unloading did not respond the same way to all experimental treatments. Import was completely inhibited by cold, anaerobiosis or steam girdling the sink leaf petiole. Unloading was inhibited by cold but continued in an anaerobic atmosphere and after steam girdling. Uptake of exogenous (/sup 14/C)sucrose was inhibited by anaerobiosis. Since an apoplastic pathway of phloem unloading would involve solute uptake from the apoplast the results are most consistent with passive symplastic unloading of photoassimilates from phloem to surrounding cells.

Research Organization:
Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY
OSTI ID:
6070830
Report Number(s):
CONF-8707108-
Journal Information:
Plant Physiol., Suppl.; (United States), Journal Name: Plant Physiol., Suppl.; (United States) Vol. 83:4; ISSN PPYSA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English