Effect of Carbohydrate Demand on the Remobilization of Starch in Stolons and Roots of White Clover (Trifolium repensL.) after Defoliation

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Abstract
White clover plants were grown from stolon tips in growth cabinets and then defoliated. Thereafter, changes in the contents of non-structural carbohydrates such as starch, sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, and pinitol in stolons and roots were monitored. Initial contents of carbohydrate reserves, photosynthetic supply of new carbohydrates and carbohydrate demand after defoliation were varied by growing the plants at various CO2 partial pressures, by varying the extent of defoliation and by removing either roots or stolon tips at the time of defoliation. Remobilization of carbohydrate reserves in stolons increased proportionally to their initial contents and was greater when plants had been severely defoliated, suggesting that carbohydrates were remobilized according to availability and demand. Starch was the predominant reserve carbohydrate. Starch degradation was associated with decreased contents of sucrose, glucose and fructose in young stolon parts and roots but not in old stolon parts suggesting that starch degradation was not strictly controlled by the contents of these sugars. A decrease in the demand for carbohydrates by removal of roots did not decrease starch degradation but increased the contents of sucrose, glucose, and fructose. Removal of stolon tips decreased starch degradation and contents of sucrose, glucose, and fructose. The results suggest that starch degradation was controlled by a factor other than sucrose, glucose, and fructose which was exported from stolon tips, e.g. gibberellin.