Significance of photosynthetic and respiratory exchanges in the carbon economy of the developing pea fruit

Abstract

The nutritional economy of the developing fruit of Pisum sativum L. (cv. Greenfeast) was studied in terms of intake of translocate, incorporation of C and N into dry matter, transpiration, and CO(2) exchanges of the fruit with its external and internal atmospheres. The environmental conditions were 12-hr days (22 C, 850 mueinsteins m(-2) sec(-1) at fruit level); 12-hr nights of 15 C.Between 6 and 30 days after anthesis, pod photosynthesis resulted in small gains of CO(2) from the external atmosphere, and assimilated most of the CO(2) respired by the fruit during the day. From then until maturity (40 days) the fruit lost CO(2) during the day. Night losses of CO(2) increased with fruit age.The gas cavity of the fruit contained 0.15 to 1.5% (v/v) CO(2). Lower levels were maintained in the day than at night. CO(2) levels were influenced by fruit age, radiant flux, and temperature. Labeled CO(2) injected into the gas cavity was fixed by the pod but not by seeds in the light, and by neither pod nor seeds in darkness. Dark-to-light or light-to-dark transfer of a fruit promoted rapid changes in CO(2) and O(2) levels of the gas space, consistent with a shift in the assimilation-respiration balance of the pod.The fruit transpired 27.6 cm(3) H(2)O per gram dry matter accumulated. Daytime ventilation was greatest 12 to 15 days after anthesis and declined as pod photosynthesis became increasingly involved in the retrieval of CO(2) respired by pod and seeds. Most, 69% by weight, of the translocate from the parent plant was converted to dry matter of seeds; nearly half, 45%, to useful seed reserves (sugar plus starch-protein-oil, 45:20:1). Illumination resulted in a fruit requiring 16% less translocate than if laying down an equal amount of dry matter in darkness.