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 (4) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hamilton, D. A. Articles by Davies, P. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hamilton, D. A. Articles by Davies, P. J. Agricola Articles by Hamilton, D. A. Articles by Davies, P. J.

Development and Growth Regulation

Sucrose and Malic Acid as the Compounds Exported to the Apical Bud of Pea following ¹⁴CO₂ Labeling of the Fruit ¹

No Evidence for a Senescence Factor

Section of Plant Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853

The G2 line of peas (Pisum sativum L.) displays senescence and death of the apical bud only in long days and in the presence of fruit. As the removal of fruit prevents senescence, one possible mechanism by which fruits induce senescence is that the fruits produce some `senescence factor' under long day conditions, which is then transported to the apical bud. Allowing developing fruits to photosynthesize in the presence of ¹⁴CO₂ results in the recovery of label in the apical bud. In order to determine the chemical nature of this radiolabeled material, fruits of G2 peas, growing under long days, were exposed to ¹⁴CO₂ at the time when the first senescence symptoms start to appear. The radiolabeled material from apical buds was then extracted, purified, and identified. Using HPLC and GC-MS the major labeled compound found in the apical bud following exposure of pea fruits to ¹⁴CO₂ was identified as sucrose, while malic acid was identified as the major ethyl acetate-soluble compound. These compounds accounted for about 73 and 16%, respectively, of the radioactivity in the apical bud. No other compounds were present in significant amounts. As neither of these chemicals is likely to have any kind of senescence effect, we report no evidence for a senescence factor.

¹ Supported by grant No. PCM821659 from the National Science Foundation. The GC-MS utilized in this work was funded by the National Science Foundation (grant No. DMB-8505974) and the New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University.