Summary
The leaves of Capsicum annuum L. cv. California Wonder function as efficient carbon exporting organs for a large part of their life span. Young and old leaves export the same percentage of fixed carbon (74% within 24 hours) although fixation rates per unit area of young leaves may be three times that of old leaves. A constant feature of translocate distribution is a supply to the roots and to the terminal fruit of the main axis from both the main axis leaves and branch leaves. Carbon supply to branch fruit is flexible in that main axis leaves supply carbon to the very small fruit, but the subtending branch leaves supply more as the fruit grows and the branch node becomes more self-sufficient. Fruit are capable of carbon fixation but translocation to terminal fruit from main axis leaves supplies about 7.5 times as much carbon as direct fixation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bruinsma, J.: A comment on the spectrophotometric determination of chlorophyll. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 52, 576–578 (1961)
Cochran, H.L.: Some factors influencing growth and fruit-setting in the pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) Cornell Univ. Mem. 190, 1–39 (1936)
Darbyshire, B., Steer, B.T.: Dehydration of macromolecules. 1. Effect of dehydration-rehydration on indoleacetic acid oxidase, ribonuclease, ribulosediphosphate carboxylase, and ketose-1-phosphate aldolase. Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 26, 591–604 (1973)
Flinn, A.M., Pate, J.S.: A quantitative study of carbon transfer from pod and subtending leaf to ripening seeds of the field pea (Pisum arvense L.). J. exp. Bot. 21, 71–82 (1970)
Hall, A.J.: An investigation of photosynthesis in fruiting plants. PhD thesis, Macquarie Univ., N.S.W. Australia 1975
Khan, A.A., Sagar, G.R.: Changing patterns of distribution of the products of photosynthesis in the tomato plant with respect to time and to the age of the leaf. Ann. Bot. 33, 763–769 (1969)
Kipps, A.E., Boulter, D.: Origins of amino acids in pods and seeds of Vicia faba L. New Phytol. 73, 675–684 (1974)
Kisaki, T., Hirabayaski, S., Yano, H.: Effect of the age of tobacco leaves on photosynthesis and photorespiration. Plant Cell Physiol. 14, 505–515 (1973)
Lewis, O.A.M., Nieman, E., Munz, A.: Origin of amino acids in Datura stramonium seeds. Ann. Bot. 34, 843–848 (1970)
Lewis, O.A.M., Munz, A.: Contribution of the pericarp to the amino acids of the seeds of Datura stramonium L. Ann. Bot. 35, 623–625 (1971)
Mahin, D.T., Lofberg, R.T.: Determination of several isotopes in tissue by wet oxidation. In: The current status of liquid scintillation counting. pp. 212–221. Ed.: Bransome, E.D., New York: Grune & Stratton 1970
Moorby, J., Jarman, P.D.: The use of compartmental analysis in the study of the movement of carbon through leaves. Planta (Berl.) 122, 155–168 (1975)
Pearson, C.J.: Daily changes in stomatal aperture and in carbohydrates and malate within epidermis and mesophyll of leaves of Commelina cyanea and Vicia faba. Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 26, 1035–1044 (1973)
Pearson, C.J.: Daily changes in carbon-dioxide exchange and photosynthate translocation of leaves of Vicia faba. Planta (Berl.) 119, 59–70 (1974)
Rawson, H.M., Hofstra, G.: Translocation and remobilization of 14C assimilated at different stages by each leaf of the wheat plant. Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 22, 321–331 (1969)
Ryle, G.J., Powell, C.E.: The export and distribution of 14C-labelled assimilates from each leaf of the shoot of Lolium temulentum during reproductive and vegetative growth. Ann. Bot. 36, 363–376 (1972)
Rylski, I.: Effect of the early environment on flowering in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 97, 648–651 (1972)
Shiroya, M., Lister, G.R., Nelson, C.D., Krotkov, G.: Translocation of 14C in tobacco at different stages of development following assimilation of 14CO2 by a single leaf. Canad. J. Bot. 39, 855–864 (1961)
Steer, B.T.: The dynamics of leaf growth and photosynthetic capacity in Capsicum frutescens L. Ann Bot. 35, 1003–1015 (1971)
Steer, B.T.: Control of ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase activity during expansion of leaves of Capsicum frutescens L. Ann. Bot. 37, 823–829 (1973a)
Steer, B.T.: Diurnal variations in photosynthetic products and nitrogen metabolism in expanding leaves. Plant Physiol. 51, 744–748 (1973b)
Steer, B.T.: Control of diurnal variations in photosynthetic products. I. Carbon metabolism. Plant Physiol. 54, 758–761 (1974)
Tanaka, A., Fujita, K.: Nutrio-physiological studies on the tomato plant. IV. Source-sink relationships and structure of source-sink unit. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 20, 305–315 (1974)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Steer, B.T., Pearson, C.J. Photosynthate translocation in Capsicum annuum . Planta 128, 155–162 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390317
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390317