About the Cover
On the Cover: The retranslocation of nutrient elements
within plants contributes to plant tolerance of nutrient deficiencies. The genetic manipulation of nutrient retranslocation may therefore provide a means to enhance plant growth under conditions of variable soil nutrient availability. By introducing the gene for sorbitol production, Brown et al. (pp. 17-20) demonstrate enhanced
retranslocation of B and improved tolerance of B deficiency. Whereas B
deficiency results in the rapid abortion of flowers in wild-type
Nicotiana alata (left plant), no symptoms of deficiency
were observed in transgenic tobacco producing sorbitol (right plant).
This illustrates the potential yield impacts of transient B
deficiencies and demonstrates the potential of transgenic enhancement
of nutrient retranslocation as a means to improve plant tolerance of
nutrient stress.
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Copyright © 2008 by the American Society of Plant Biologists
