14C-Partitioning and biomass allocation in common bean

What is it about?

Plants modify their carbon allocation as a response to low water availability. The objective of this study was to evaluate, using a 14CO2 pulse-chase analysis, the effect of moisture restriction on biomass production in common bean plants var. OTI. The plants were maintained with irrigation until the beginning of pods filling; then, three groups were formed, kept at 100%, 75% or 50% field capacity (FC). After 10 days, 14CO2 gas was supplied to the plants for 4 hr. The plants were harvested at 1, 3 and 7 days after applying the label. Ripe fruits imported more than 50% of the total 14C. Particularly, the label presented greater changes in pericarps of stage III of pod development. The fructose concentration doubled that of the glucose and decreased with the pod age; sucrose concentration increased in pericarps in stages III and IV of pod development in relation to those in stage II. The sucrose decrease only in stage II pericarps on day 7, as well as the starch concentration that decreased by half in the 50% FC condition. The latter coincided with the highest amylolytic activity as evaluated in native gels. These findings open new opportunities to research the carbon allocation mechanism under moisture restriction.

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Photo by blackieshoot on Unsplash

Photo by blackieshoot on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The contributions of the work will serve to establish selection criteria of cultivars with characteristics of tolerance to stress due to humidity restriction and advance in the knowledge about the physiological and biochemical factors that regulate the distribution of carbon in common bean plants.

Perspectives