EFFECT OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE ON PLANT-GROWTH AND CARBOHYDRATE-METABOLISM IN POTATO

This study was undertaken to determine the role of sucrose-metabolizing enzymes in altered carbohydrate partitioning caused by heat stress. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) genotypes characterized as susceptible and tolerant to heat stress were grown at 19/17 degrees C, and a subset was transferred to 31/29 degrees C. Data were obtained for plant growth and photosynthesis. Enzyme activity was determined for sucrose-6-phosphate synthase (SPS) in mature leaves and for sucrose synthase, ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, and UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase in developing tubers of plants. High temperatures reduced growth of tubers more than of shoots. Photosynthetic rates were unaffected or increased slightly at the higher temperature. Heat stress increased accumulation of foliar sucrose and decreased starch accumulation in mature leaves but did not affect glucose. SPS activity increased significantly in mature leaves of plants subjected to high temperature. Changes in SPS activity were probably not due to altered enzyme kinetics. The activity of sucrose synthase and ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase was reduced in tubers, albeit less quickly than leaf SPS activity. There was no interaction of temperature and genotype with regard to the enzymes examined; therefore, observed differences do not account for differences between genotypes in heat susceptibility.