Question

What kind of experiment could I conduct to determine how plant leaves transition from sinks to sources?

Answer 1

source : parts of plants where net fixation of carbon dioxide occurs

sink: these are the sites in plants where assimilates are stored or used.

Allocation of assimilates between plant parts occurs via transport in the phloem.

SOURCE SINK REALTION IN PLANTS :

functionally a plant can be divided into source and sink , sources being the parts where net fixation of carbon dioxide occurs , and sinks being the sites where assimilation are stored or used .allocation of assimilates between plant parts occurs via transport in the phloem.

The understanding of source sink relations implies research on primary metaboilsm , i.e mailny carbohydrate metaboilsm .

The early growth of a leaf is supported by carbohydrate imported from other sources in the plant ... the transition begins at the leaf tip and moves basipetally as the leaf matures..

carbohydrate metaboilsm in leaves changes profoundly during development young leaves are heteromorphic, they depend in part on carbohydrate imported from other regions of the plants. Mature leaves on other hand are autotrophic , they produce an ecxess of photoassimilates and act as the plants major sources of transport of sugar.

THE EXPERIMENT IN TALL FESCUE SHOWING THAT TRANSITION FROM SINK TO SOURCE: