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Carbon-14 Distribution in Peanut Fruit Parts During Maturation Following 14CO Treatment of Intact Plants¹

Authors: Harold E. Pattee , Elizabeth B. Johns , John A. Singleton , Timothy H. Sanders

Abstract

Effects of sampling date and developmental stage on the distribution of radioactivity within the crude ethanol, lipid, and starch fractions from fruit, seed coat, and seed of peanut were investigated. Major differences were found between the first and fourth feeding dates in the amount of 14C-labeled photo-synthate translocated to individual peanut fruit parts. Maximum levels of radioactivity in the pericarp, seed coat, and seed were attained at progressively later developmental stages as the respective part became the dominant metabolic sink. Within the fruit, maximum radioactivity in starch was reached during early maturity (stage 3) and total radioactivity generally decreased with successive feeding dates. Thus the level of photosynthate being translocated to a given fruit decreases as more fruit develop on the plant. Observed relationships between level of radioactivity and specific activity of fruit-part components were interpreted as indicating that metabolic reserves are built up in the fruit and seed coat during early maturation and utilized later during seed development and maturation when the level of available translocated photosynthate has diminished.

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Keywords: Distribution, Maturation, Fruit, Treatment

How to Cite: Pattee, H. , Johns, E. , Singleton, J. & Sanders, T. (1974) “Carbon-14 Distribution in Peanut Fruit Parts During Maturation Following 14CO Treatment of Intact Plants¹”, Peanut Science. 1(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.3146/i0095-3679-1-2-7