Gibberellins and ABA promote carbon allocation in roots and berries of grape plants

MORENO, D.; BERLI, F.; PICCOLI, P.; BOTTINI, R.

Tarragona, España

Conferencia; 20th IPGSA Conference - The International Plant Growth Substances Association; 2010

Plant Growth Regulation Society of America (PGRSA) and the Japanese Society for the Chemical Regulation of Plants (JSCRP)

Carbon allocation in different tissues is a fundamental process in higher plants, including grape, where wine’s quality is directly related to sugar content in berries. Gibberellins (GAs) and ABA control various processes across the plant life and both have been involved in assimilate production and transport in different species. Hence, this work studied the distribution of sucrose, fructose, glucose and starch in grape plants at the phenological stage of veraison after foliar application of GA3, ABA and an inhibitor of GAs biosynthesis, paclobutrazole. The results show that GA3 increased overall growth assessed as total dry mass per plant, where carbon allocation was driven towards the whole plant as structural and soluble carbohydrates, although the aerial part to root ratio is enhanced by GAs. Both GA3 and ABA increased glucose and fructose in berries (up to 10-fold) and roots (up to three-fold). However GA3 increased the overall carbon fixation while ABA did not. The results suggest that GAs are involved in stimulation of carbon fixation and transport while ABA as stress signal only enhances sugar transport; notwithstanding the two hormones promoted carbon allocation towards organs involved in plant’s survival, roots and berries.