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Control of inflorescence development in the glasshouse tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

Control of inflorescence development in the glasshouse tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)
Control of inflorescence development in the glasshouse tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

Changes in growth, development, carbohydrate status and carbohydrate metabolism were investigated in the first inflorescence of the glasshouse tomato. In flowers there were peaks in the concentration of starch just before and reducing sugars at anthesis. The concentration of sucrose tended to decline during normal flower development. There was no association between invertase activity or the ratio of reducing sugars to sucrose and flower growth. Invertase activity increased at the time of anthesis; however, changes in activity were restricted to the androecum, and activity only increased when this region was separated from the rest of the flower by an abscission zone.Growth of the first inflorescence and the `apical'' region (tissues above the first inflorescence) was examined. In low-light conditions growth of the inflorescence was reduced in favour of the `apical'' region. This was associated with increases in invertase activity and the water content of the `apical'' region. In very low light conditions there were similarconcentrations of soluble sugars in the inflorescence and the `apical'region, but differences in growth. Inflorescence growth stopped but growth of the `apical'' region continued. The concentration of starch varied diurnally in the `apical'' region and the inflorescence under high light intensities, but only in the `apical'' region in low light intensities.Growth of the inflorescence and the `apical'' region was manipulated by applying benzyladenine (BA) and/or gibberellic acid (GA) to the first inflorescence. These chemicals were most effective when applied in combination, in this treatment growth of the `apical'' region was reduced in favour of the inflorescence. Applied alone, GA promoted inflorescence growth before BA. These chemicals did not affect any other region of the aerial shoot. The concentration of carbohydrates increased in the inflorescence after applications of BA and/or GA, but did not change in the `apical'' region.

University of Southampton
Newell, Andrew James
Newell, Andrew James

Newell, Andrew James (1987) Control of inflorescence development in the glasshouse tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

Changes in growth, development, carbohydrate status and carbohydrate metabolism were investigated in the first inflorescence of the glasshouse tomato. In flowers there were peaks in the concentration of starch just before and reducing sugars at anthesis. The concentration of sucrose tended to decline during normal flower development. There was no association between invertase activity or the ratio of reducing sugars to sucrose and flower growth. Invertase activity increased at the time of anthesis; however, changes in activity were restricted to the androecum, and activity only increased when this region was separated from the rest of the flower by an abscission zone.Growth of the first inflorescence and the `apical'' region (tissues above the first inflorescence) was examined. In low-light conditions growth of the inflorescence was reduced in favour of the `apical'' region. This was associated with increases in invertase activity and the water content of the `apical'' region. In very low light conditions there were similarconcentrations of soluble sugars in the inflorescence and the `apical'region, but differences in growth. Inflorescence growth stopped but growth of the `apical'' region continued. The concentration of starch varied diurnally in the `apical'' region and the inflorescence under high light intensities, but only in the `apical'' region in low light intensities.Growth of the inflorescence and the `apical'' region was manipulated by applying benzyladenine (BA) and/or gibberellic acid (GA) to the first inflorescence. These chemicals were most effective when applied in combination, in this treatment growth of the `apical'' region was reduced in favour of the inflorescence. Applied alone, GA promoted inflorescence growth before BA. These chemicals did not affect any other region of the aerial shoot. The concentration of carbohydrates increased in the inflorescence after applications of BA and/or GA, but did not change in the `apical'' region.

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Published date: 1987

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 461938
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/461938
PURE UUID: c5c8af4c-5212-4389-bd19-33917dbb822c

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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 18:58
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 18:58

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Contributors

Author: Andrew James Newell

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