Effect of water stress on partitioning of C-14-labelled photosynthates in Vitis vinifera

The influence of fruits on export and distribution of photosynthates was studied in Vitis vinifera L. cv. Tempranillo using C-14 labelling. Also, the influence of water stress was analysed in fruiting and fruitless plants of Tempranillo and fruiting plants of cv. Alfonso Lavallee. In fruitless plants of Tempranillo, reserve organs (trunk, roots and lower shoot) represented 80% of total plant dry matter (DM), and imported up to 90% of the total C-14 exported from the fed leaf. Therefore, the distribution pattern of photosynthates in these plants reflected mainly the sink size. However, the presence of fruits in Tempranillo strongly stimulated C-14 export and changed the distribution pattern of assimilates. Fruits imported up to 70-80% of the total C-14 exported, while representing only 25% of the total plant DM. Therefore, the strength of fruits as carbon sinks was independent of sink size, and it is discussed on the basis of a water potential gradient theory. Water stress caused a significant reduction of leaf water potential, photosynthesis and stomatal conductance, but caused only a slight, non-significant, decrease of carbohydrate export from the fed leaves, and did not affect the distribution pattern of C-14 except in some minor fractions in Tempranillo. The C-14 distribution into different fruit components was also unaffected. In contrast, in Alfonso Lavallee water stress resulted in a highly significant reduction of export, and an altered photosynthate distribution pattern. These differences could be due to the lower water potential attained in stressed Alfonso Lavallee plants.