The application of in vivo techniques in the study of metabolic aspects of ion absorption in crop plants

Summary

Little is known about the biochemical basis of the genotypic differences in the capacity for ion absorption and transport shown by many crop species. If these differences reflect the abundance of a specific membrane component or the activity of an enzyme we need to have some indication of the in vivo operation of these systems in whole plants. The in vivo assessment of glycolytic enzymes is illustrated by the effects of mannose on the transport of phosphate in maize varieties. The application of high resolution ³¹P-NMR to the study of intermediary metabolism in vivo is also helpful in following transport capacity.

The five-fold rise in respiratory rate that occurs when freshly cut potato slices are maintained in aerated water for 24 hours is accompanied by the turning on of a wide range of biochemical systems. Major increases in the capacity for absorption of phosphate from low concentrations (0.1 μM–10 μM) and in the phosphorylative ability of the tissue are seen, indicating the synthesis of a carrier involved in phosphate transport. These capacities differ markedly between individual tissues of the tuber, i.e. pith, parenchyma, cortex and buds and large differences have been observed between comparable tissue from different varieties. Varieties grown under similar conditions have been compared and shown to exhibit different kinetics with respect to the development of the low concentration absorption site and in their sensitivity to the effects of uncouplers such as 2,4-dinitrophenol.