Regulation of assimilate partitioning in leaves

Abstract

Concepts of the regulation of assimilate partitioning in leaves frequently consider only the allocation of carbon between sucrose and starch synthesis, storage and export. While carbohydrate metabolism accounts for a large proportion of assimilated carbon, such analyses provide only a restricted view of carbon metabolism and partitioning in leaf cells since photosynthetic carbon fixation provides precursors for all other biosynthetic pathways in the plant. Most of these precursors are required for biosynthesis of amino acids that form the building blocks for many compounds in plants. We have used leaf carbon : nitrogen ratios to calculate the allocation of photosynthetic electrons to the assimilation of nitrogen necessary for amino acid formation, and conclude that this allocation is variable but may be higher than values often quoted in the literature. Respiration is a significant fate of fixed carbon. In addition to supplying biosynthetic precursors, respiration is required for energy production and may also act, in both light and dark, to balance cellular energy budgets. We have used growth CO₂ concentration and irradiance to modify source activity in Lolium temulentum in order to explore the interactions between photosynthetic carbon and nitrogen assimilation, assimilate production, respiration and export. It is demonstrated that there is a robust correlation between source activity and foliar respiration rates. Under some conditions concomitant increases in source activity and respiration may be necessary to support faster growth. In other conditions, increases in respiration appear to result from internal homeostatic mechanisms that may be candidate targets for increasing yield.