This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Web of Science (28) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Grunwald, C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Grunwald, C. Agricola Articles by Grunwald, C.

Articles

Shading Influence on the Sterol Balance of Nicotiana tabacum L. ¹

Department of Agronomy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506

Tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.) were grown in the field and the apex was removed at the 42-day stage. Shading screens were set up which produced 0, 26, 67, and 90% shade. Plants were grown an additional 25 days before leaves from top, middle, and bottom stalk positions were harvested. Each leaf group was analyzed for free sterol, steryl ester, steryl glycoside, and acylsteryl glycoside. The free sterol content was lowest in top leaves and highest in bottom leaves; however, the top leaves had more steryl ester than the bottom leaves. Leaf position had no effect on steryl glycosides and acylsteryl glycosides. Shading did not influence the level of any sterol class; but in general, shading increased stigmasterol and decreased sitosterol. This trend was observed for all sterol classes, and the free sterols showed the largest and most consistent change. The younger top leaves showed a greater response than the older bottom leaves, but bottom leaves always had more stigmasterol than sitosterol even without shade.

¹ This paper (77-3-113) is part of a project of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station.