Fixation of 14Co2 by Flowering and Non-Flowering Glumes of the Wheat Ear, and the Pattern of Transport of Label to Individual Grains

Abstract

This paper explores the possible role of photosynthesis by individual glumes in influencing the growth rates of individual grains of the wheat ear. Specifically we determined: (1) the photosynthetic capacities of individual glumes (i.e. non-flowering glumes, lemmas, and paleas) of an awned wheat cultivar; (2) the pattern of translocation of 14C-Iabelled assimilate from individual glumes to individual grains; and (3) the time course of translocation of label from glumes and flag leaf to the grain.