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To utilize solar radiation efficiently and to store the photosynthate, a plant must be able to transport to move assimilate from an area of synthesis to an area of mobilization Assimilate produced via Pn is translocated throughout the plant for growth, development, storage and cell maintenance Partitioning: Division of assimilate among these processes affect both the productivity and survival of a plant
Assimilate produced in the leaves move to assimilate sinks while substances absorbed by the roots move upward (e.g., plant growth regulators/hormones: cytokinins) In both xylem and phloem exist plasmodesmata which allow some lateral movement The bulk of translocated substances, other then water is the result of photosynthesis or remobilization of assimilates in storage 90% of the total solids in the phloem consist of carbohydrates
The majority of the carbohydrates are nonreducing sugars (sugars without an exposed aldehyde or ketone group such as sucrose and raffinose) which can make 10 to 15% of the sap Phloem sap also consists of nitrogenous substances; especially amino acids, amides, and ureides at concentrations of 0.03 to 0.4% Extremely low quantities of other compounds can be translocated in the phloem at extremely low concentrations which include plant growth regulators, inorganic nutrients and systemic pesticides Many compounds such as reducing sugars, contact herbicides, proteins, most polysaccharides, calcium, iron, and most micronutrients do not normally move via the phloem
Translocation Rates
Rate at which a compound is moved in the phloem can be affected by the rate of acceptance by the sinks (phloem unloading), the chemical nature of the compound as it affects movement in phloem tissue, and the rate at which the source is moving the compound into sieve tube elements Can be measured by radioactive isotopes
Phloem size is dependent upon the size of the source or sink it is serving Different translocation rates occur among plant species especially between C3 and C4 plants C4 plants:
Higher CO2 exchange rates Larger ratio of cross sectional phloem area to leaf area Greater translocation rates than C3 species May be due to specialized anatomy with vascular sheath cells containing chloroplasts
Phloem Unloading
Information is scarce: probably occurs by different mechanisms, may be a limiting factor, and may vary with the development of the sink
Assimilate Partitioning
Partitioning of assimilate is generally to the sinks closest to the source Cross linking of sieve tube elements occurs in most species and allows for alternate transfer of assimilate