Development of storage roots in radish (Raphanus sativus) plants as affected by light quality

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0176-1617(96)80141-6Get rights and content

Summary

The development of storage roots was studied in radish plants grown under blue or red light. Unlike blue light-grown plants, no tuber development was found in red light-grown plants. Instead of the storage root formation, a larger development of petioles was observed in red light-grown plants. Reduced leaf matter was found in red light-grown plants compared with blue light-grown ones. At the growth chamber photon flux density (170 µmol m −2 s−1), similar rates of photosynthetic CO2 fixation were found under red and blue light. Higher leaf starch accumulation was observed in red light-grown radish plants, whereas the level of soluble carbohydrates was lower than in blue light-grown plants. The absolute contents of several Calvin cycle metabolites were higher in blue light-grown plants, but the diurnal changes in their levels were similar in leaves of both variants examined. The portion of photosynthetically fixed carbon accumulated in roots was quantified as 0.50 and 0.31 for blue light-grown and red light-grown plants, respectively. The levels of two phytohormones, indole-3-acetate and zeatin plus zeatin riboside were found to be several-fold higher in roots of blue light-grown plants compared with red light-grown ones. Thus, the above hormones obviously create a higher sink demand from roots to leaves in blue light-grown plants, which facilitate the development of under-ground storage tissues. Petioles, not roots, were assumed to act as a main sink organ in red light-grown radish plants. A less strong sink demand probably also accounts for reduced assimilatory leaf matter in red light-grown plants.

References (48)

  • N.G. Bukhov et al.

    Light response curves of photosynthesis in leaves of sun-type and shade-type plants grown in blue or red light

    J. Photochem. Photobiol.

    (1995)
  • N.P. Aksenova et al.

    Morphogenesis of potato plants in vitro. I. Effect of light quality and hormones

    J. Plant Growth Regul.

    (1994)
  • W.J. Arp

    Effects of source-sink relations on photosynthetic acclimation to elevated CO2

    Plant Cell Environ.

    (1991)
  • H.U. Bergmeyer

    Methods of Enzymatic Analysis

    (1974)
  • M.L. Brenner

    The role of hormones in photosynthetic partitioning and seed filling

  • N.G. Bukhov et al.

    Blue, red and blue plus red light control of chlorophyll content and CO2 gas exchange in barley leaves: Quantitative description of the effects of light quality and fluence rate

    Physiol. Plant.

    (1992)
  • N.G. Bukhov et al.

    Long-term effects of blue or red light on ATP and ADP contents in primary barley leaves

    Planta

    (1995)
  • H. Clauss

    Der Einflug von Rot- und Blaulicht auf die Photosynthese von Acetabularia mediterranen und auf die Verteilung des assimilierten Kohlenstoffs

    Protoplasma

    (1972)
  • D. Cosgrove

    Rapid suppression of growth by blue light: occurrence, time course, and general characteristics

    Plant Physiol.

    (1981)
  • I.S. Drozdova et al.

    Coac-tion of light-controlled reactions induced by red and blue light on photosynthesis and morphogenesis in radish plants

    Sov. Plant Physiol.

    (1987)
  • M. Dubois et al.

    Colorimetric method for determination of sugars and related substances

    Analyt. Chem.

    (1956)
  • R.B. Dwelle et al.

    Photosynthesis and stomatal conductance of potato clones (Solanum tuberosum L.). Comparative differences in diurnal patterns, response to light levels, and assimilation through upper and lower leaf surfaces

    Plant Physiol.

    (1983)
  • A.L. Fredeen et al.

    Biochemical correlates of the circadian rhythm in photosynthesis in Phaseolus vulgaris

    Plant Physiol.

    (1991)
  • S. Fuchs et al.

    Detection and quantitative determination of abscisic acid by immunological assay

    Planta

    (1972)
  • G. Galfre et al.

    Making antibodies

  • N. Galtier et al.

    Effects of elevated sucrose-phosphate synthase activity on photosynthesis, assimilate partitioning, and growth in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum var. UC82B)

    Plant Physiol.

    (1993)
  • D.R. Geiger et al.

    Carbon assimilation and leaf water status in sugar beet leaves during a stimulated natural light regimen

    Plant Physiol.

    (1991)
  • D.R. Geiger et al.

    Photosynthetic carbon metabolism and translocation in wild-type and starch-deficient mutant Nicotiana sylvestris L

    Plant Physiol.

    (1995)
  • R. Gerhard et al.

    Subcellular metabolite levels in spinach leaves. Regulation of sucrose synthesis during diurnal alterations in photosynthetic partitioning

    Plant Physiol.

    (1987)
  • C. Ghiena et al.

    Starch degradation and distribution pf the starch-degrading enzymes in Vicia faba leaves

    Plant Physiol.

    (1993)
  • W.L. Hassid et al.
  • T.L. Hennessey et al.

    Orcadian rhythm in photosynthesis: oscillations in carbon assimilation and stomatal conductance under constant conditions

    Plant Physiol.

    (1991)
  • A. Herold

    Regulation of photosynthesis by sink activity — the missing link

    New Phytol.

    (1980)
  • A.-K. Janoudi et al.

    Desensitization and recovery of phototropic responsiveness in Arabidopsis thaliana

    Plant Physiol.

    (1993)
  • Cited by (0)

    View full text