CARBON BALANCE IN DEVELOPING GRAPEVINE BERRIES

A carbon balance was established for grape berries growing on fruiting cuttings cv.
Cabernet Sauvignon under controlled conditions.
From anthesis to veraison, the imported carbon is almost equally partitioned between pericarp and seed growth and respiration.
Fruit photosynthesis is recycling 43% of the carbon lost by respiration.
During the first growing period, the grape berries can be defined as utilisation sinks because of the high respiratory cost of growth.
At veraison, carbon imports increase.
Then the carbon is mainly allocated to the pericarp and stored as hexoses.
Respiratory costs of growth are ten times lower than before veraison, suggesting that during ripening carbon import and hexose storage mechanisms require less energy than the metabolic processes occurring during the first growth period.
During ripening, the grape berry can be classified as storage sink.
On the whole growth period, the grape berry imports 12 mmoles of carbon.
Respiration accounts for 18 % of the imported carbon.
Fruit photosynthesis supplies 10% of the carbon required for fruit development.

V International Symposium on Grapevine Physiology

N. Ollat, J. Gaudillère

carbon import, dry matter, fruit, growth, respiration rate, photosynthesis

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2000.526.37