Function of leafy sepals in Paris polyphylla: photosynthate allocation and partitioning to the fruit and rhizome
Kun Yu A C , Qilong Fan B , Yan Wang A , Jianrong Wei B , Qing Ma B , Dan Yu A and Jiaru Li A D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, PR China.
B Yunnan Baiyao Group Co. Ltd, Kunming 650032, PR China.
C Present address: College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430065, PR China.
D Corresponding author. Email: jrli@whu.edu.cn
Functional Plant Biology 40(4) 393-399 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP12257
Submitted: 7 April 2012 Accepted: 1 November 2012 Published: 28 November 2012
Abstract
Paris polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis (Franch.) Hand.-Mazz. is a rhizomatous, herbaceous, perennial plant that is used as a medicinal plant with a variety of pharmacological activities. However, the functions of the green, leafy sepal of this plant are poorly understood. The main objectives of this study were to: (a) test the hypothesis that sepals make measurable contributions to fruit development and rhizome growth; and (b) investigate the allocation and partitioning of photosynthates produced by sepals and leaves to fruit and rhizome. Net photosynthetic rate, photosynthetic pigment composition and δ13C values were similar for sepals and leaves. Sepal-darkening and sepal-removal treatments resulted in smaller fruit size and decreased rhizome biomass, whereas fruit removal led to a decrease in calyx size and an increase in rhizome yield and saponin content. Fruit and seed mass were positively and linearly related to calyx size. These results indicate that photosynthates produced by sepals are involved in the fruit growth and seed development and that developing fruit and rhizomes compete for the photosynthates exported by leaves. We propose that the sepals of P. polyphylla function partly as leaves to compensate for reproductive costs. Fruit removal increased carbon partitioning to the rhizome and improved rhizome yield and quality, offering a useful strategy for the domestication of this valuable medicinal plant.
Additional keywords: reproduction, sepal photosynthesis, source–sink relations.
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