scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Journal ArticleDOI

Fruit growth of cucumber in relation to assimilate supply and sink activity

01 Apr 1984-Scientia Horticulturae (Elsevier)-Vol. 23, Iss: 1, pp 21-33
TL;DR: Assimilate distribution in Cucumis sativa, cultivar ‘Farbio’, was studied during 36 days after emergence of the inflorescense in the 5th axil to formulate a hypothesis that relates the dynamics of fruit growth to assimilate supply and the sink activity of individual fruits.
About: This article is published in Scientia Horticulturae.The article was published on 1984-04-01. It has received 63 citations till now.
Citations
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A model for dry matter partitioning into generative plant parts, which is based on sink strengths of the organs, is described and the potential growth rate has been shown to be an important parameter that quantitatively reflects the sink strength of an organ.
Abstract: Dry matter partitioning is the end result of the flow of assimilates from source organs via a transport path to the sink organs. The dry matter partitioning among the sinks of a plant is primarily regulated by the sinks themselves. The effect of source strength on dry matter partitioning is often not a direct one, but indirect via the formation of sink organs. Although the translocation rate of assimilates may depend on the transport path, the transport path is only of minor importance for the regulation of dry matter partitioning at the whole plant level. To understand the regulation of dry matter partitioning by the sinks, a parameter like sink strength is needed that describes a sink's ability to influence assimilate import and is independent of the rest of the plant. The term sink strength can be defined as the competitive ability of an organ to attract assimilates. However, there is much debate and confusion about the term sink strength because this term is often not clearly defined. Sink strength has been proposed to be the product of sink size and sink activity. Although cell number is often considered as a suitable measure of sink size, it appears not always to be an important determinant of sink size. Moreover, sink strength may depend on sink age rather than sink size. A model for dry matter partitioning into generative plant parts, which is based on sink strengths of the organs, is described. The potential growth rate (potential capacity to accumulate assimilates) has been shown to be an important parameter that quantitatively reflects the sink strength of an organ. The potential growth rates of the plant's organs are not static but change dynamically. The potential growth rate of a fruit is a function of both its age and temperature. For several crops it has been shown that the dry matter partitioning into an organ can be quantitatively described as a function of its potential growth rate relative to that of the other plant organs.

372 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Potted 'Cabernet Sauvignon' and 'Pinot noir' grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) grown in a sunlit phytotron were used to study the influence of cluster light exposure during various stages of fruit development on berry growth and composition as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Potted 'Cabernet Sauvignon' and 'Pinot noir' grapevines ( Vitis vinifera L.) grown in a sunlit phytotron were used to study the influence of cluster light exposure during various stages of fruit development on berry growth and composition. Clusters grown without light during berry development stages I and II, stage III, or stages I, II, and III, were compared to clusters exposed to light throughout fruit development (control). The temperature of light-exposed and nonexposed fruit was similar. The weights and diameters of berries grown without light during stages I and II, or stages I, II, and III, were similar and significantly lower than those of the control. Fruit softening in both cultivars, as well as the initiation of berry coloration, was delayed when berries were grown without light during stages I and II. Following fruit softening, berries grown without light during stages I, II, and III were lower in sugar than the control. On the final sample date, 'Cabernet Sauvignon' berries grown without light during stages I, II, and III were higher in malate compared to the control. 'Pinot noir' berries grown without light during stages I and II, or stages I, II, and III, were lower in malate before fruit softening, and higher in malate following fruit softening, than the control. Control berries had greater skin anthocyanins and phenolics compared to the remaining treatments. Berries grown without light during stages I and II, or stage III, were greater in anthocyanins and phenolics than fruit grown without light during stages I, II, and III. Light had no effect on fruit tartrate concentration or juice pH. Light had its greatest impact on fruit development during the initial stages of berry growth. Berry growth was reduced and ripening delayed when fruit were grown without light during stages I and II. Normal fruit development was not fully restored when these fruit were exposed to light during stage III.

309 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Although most of the variation in abortion can be related to the source and sink strength of the plant, some effects of competing fruits can only be explained by a combination of competition and dominance.
Abstract: Source strength (assimilate supply) and sink strength (assimilate demand) of the plant were varied in different ways to investigate to what extent flower/fruit abortion in sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is determined by the availability of assimilates. Source strength was varied by changing the light level, plant density, and leaf pruning. Sink strength was varied by changing the temperature and the number and position of earlier formed fruits. Shading as well as heating for short periods showed that flowers/fruits were the most susceptible to abortion during the first week after anthesis. The different experiments where source strength was varied all showed that when source strength decreased, the rate of abortion increased linearly, whether source strength was decreased by shading, high plant density, or leaf pruning. That flower and fruit abortion not only depends on the source strength but also on the sink strength of competing organs is shown by varying the number or the position of earlier formed fruits. With the same source strength, the rate of abortion showed a close relationship with the growth rate of the earlier formed competing fruits, suggesting that the induction of abortion by earlier formed fruits is due to their sink strength. Most of the variation in abortion could be related to differences in vegetative growth rate, the latter being an indicator of the source-sink ratio. However, with the same vegetative growth rate, the rate of abortion was lower for the leaf pruning treatments where no competing fruits were retained than for the fruit load treatments. This indicates that although most of the variation in abortion can be related to the source and sink strength of the plant, some effects of competing fruits can only be explained by a combination of competition and dominance.

226 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The field experiment demonstrated that reproductive growth restricts vegetative growth and reduces tuber yield and dry matter content of potato.

144 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A dynamic model is developed for the simulation of the daily dry matter distribution between the generative and vegetative plant parts and the distribution among individual fruits in greenhouse cucumber and the growth rate of young fruits was usually overestimated and that of old fruits underestimated, because of dominance among fruits.

135 citations

References
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper presents a meta-analysis of photosynthesis in Relation to Sink Demand and the role of source and sink systems in this evolution.
Abstract: LESSONS FROM CROP PLANT EVOLUTION . IMPROVING PHOTOSYNTHETIC RATE . CARBON PARTITIONING BETWEEN ORGANS . CHARACTERISTICS OF ESTABLISHED SOURCE·PATH·SINK SYSTEMS . Photosynthesis in Relation to Sink Demand . Phloem Loading . �r,Io"::; a fJnr::d"!:.�:.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Sink Properties .

710 citations


"Fruit growth of cucumber in relatio..." refers background in this paper

  • ...The mechanism by which plant resources are partitioned between shoot, root arLd fruits has led to speculation, but no unequivocal conclusions are available at present ( Gifford and Evans, 1981 )....

    [...]

  • ...Source--sink interactions in general evoke the question as to which processes can be regarded as the ultimate cause of changes in assimilate distribution ( Gifford and Evans, 1981 )....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI

210 citations


"Fruit growth of cucumber in relatio..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Thus, the time-course of total plant growth can be calculated from in vivo measurements (Fig. 2). Daily dry matter production can be estimated from a photosynthetic model, similar to the one proposed by Acock et al. (1978) ....

    [...]

  • ...The relationship proposed by Acock et al. (1978) is...

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the carbon balance of a mature tomato leaf was measured over a 6-h period from a tomato leaf and the rate of carbon transport based on this carbon balance was measured under a range of net photosynthetic rates.
Abstract: The rate of carbon transport based on the carbon balance over a 6 -h period from a mature tomato leaf was measured over a range of net photosynthetic rates from 0-1 to 4-9 mg C dm-2 h_1 under light flux densities from 4 to 140 W m-2. A proportional relationship was demonstrated between the rate of carbon transport and carbon fixation when the carbon fixation rate was higher than 2 mg C dm-2 h_1. Below a carbon fixation rate of 1 mg C dm-2 h-1, the rate of carbon export was maintained at 1 mg C dm-2 h_1 at the expense of the breakdown of starch. A highly significant correlation was observed between sucrose concentration and the rate of carbon transport. The sucrose concentration in the leaf appears to be the factor controlling carbon export.

115 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Net assimilation rates of fruiting plants exceeded those of deflorated plants, and these differences appeared to be associated with alterations in assimilate demand, indicating that leaves of these plants retain their photosynthetic capacity long after full expansion.
Abstract: The shaded fruit of the pepper plant was the main sink for assimilates during much of the growth period of this organ. Up to 90 % of the plant daily dry weight increase was deposited in the fruit, and growth of all non-fruit organs was correlatively reduced. No net transfer of dry matter from other organs to the fruit could be detected. In continuously deflorated plants, the partitioning of dry matter among organs was more evenly balanced. Net assimilation rates of fruiting plants exceeded those of deflorated plants, and these differences appeared to be associated with alterations in assimilate demand. Net assimilation rates of fruiting plants remained constant for up to 40 days under conditions of very little leaf surface turnover, indicating that leaves of these plants retain their photosynthetic capacity long after full expansion. Foliar senescence and abscission in deflorated plants was marked, but these processes were inhibited during the growth of the fruit. Some possible causes of this differential response are considered.

60 citations