Imaging of Carbon Translocation to Fruit Using Carbon-11-Labeled Carbon Dioxide and Positron Emission Tomography

Carbon kinetics into the fruit is an agricultural issue on the growth and development of the sink organs to be harvested. Particularly, photoassimilate translocation and distribution are important topics for understanding the mechanism. In the present work, carbon-11 (C-11) labeled photoassimilate translocation into fruits of tomato has been imaged using carbon-11-labeled carbon dioxide and the positron emission tomography (PET). Dynamice PET data of gradual increasing of C-11 activity and its distribution is acquired quantitatively in intact plant body. This indicates that the 3-D photoassimilate translocation into the fruits is imaged successfully and carbon kinetics is analyzable to understand the plant physiology and nutrition.