Glyphosate Inhibits Photosynthesis and Allocation of Carbon to Starch in Sugar Beet Leaves

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Abstract
Application of glyphosate (N-[phosphonomethyl] glycine) to exporting leaves of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris, L.) during the day lowered stomatal conductance and carbon fixation. Allocation of newly fixed carbon to foliar starch accumulation was nearly completely inhibited, being decreased by the same amount as net carbon fixation. In contrast, decreasing net carbon fixation in untreated leaves by lowering CO2 concentration caused starch accumulation to decrease, but only in the same proportion as net carbon fixation. Shikimate level increased 50-fold in treated leaves but the elevated rate of crabon acccumalation in shikimate was only 4% of the decrease in the rate of starch accumulation. Applciation of steady state labeling with 14CO2 to exporting leaves confirmed the above changes in carbon metabolism, but revealed no other major daytime differences in the 14C-content of amino acids or other compounds between treated and control leaves. Less 14C accumulated in treated leaves because of decreased fixation, not increased export. The proportion of newly fixed carbon allocated to sucrose increased, maintaining export at the level in control leaves. Returning net carbon exchange to the rate before treatment restored starch accumulation fully and prevented a decrease in export during the subsequent dark period.