Exudation of Recently Fixed Carbon by Non-Sterile Roots

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Abstract
Preliminary results on exudation of recently fixed carbon from the roots of non-sterile, hydroponically grown wheat seedlings are presented. Within the first 200 min after photosynthesis of a 11CO2 pulse up to 30% of the total tracer transported to the root had appeared as labelled carbon dioxide within the root bathing solution. Through the use of inhibitors it was found that 30% of the total tracer released from the roots was probably root exudate, the remaining fraction being carbon dioxide from root respiration. When no inhibitors were present the micro-organism population on the root was able to utilize all of the root exudate so that none accumulated in the root bathing solution. Export of recently fixed carbon from the root back to the shoot was very dependent on root respiration.