Effects of shortened day length upon translocation and starch accumulation by maize, wheat, and pangola grass leaves

Abstract

Rates of leaf starch accumulation in maize, wheat, and pangola grass were approximately doubled when plants were shifted from long to short day lengths, 4 days prior to measurement. There were only small changes in carbon assimilation rates and specific leaf weights. After a brief exposure to ¹⁴CO₂ and after a 2-h-chase period, total label was higher in leaves of long to short day length than in long day length plants. Most of the increased ¹⁴C radioactivity in leaf extracts of long to short day length plants was recovered in the starch, protein, and neutral fractions. The translocation of ¹⁴C-labeled assimilates to roots was less in long to short day length then in long day length plants. Sucrose was increased in leaves and decreased in roots following a shift from long to short day lengths. The above findings indicated that the accumulation of assimilates in leaves of long to short day length plants was due in part to a lowered rate of sucrose transport. The rate of sucrose movement was not directly proportional to its total pool size in source leaves.