Correlative effects of fruits and leaves in senescence of pea plants.

Whole plant senescence was studied in peas (Pisum sativum L.) by defruiting, defoliating, and grafting. Fruit removal delays senescence. The delay in senescence is associated with the initiation of bud expansion at nodes near those producing pods. The apical meristem dies regardless of defruiting though later than normal phants.Graft unions are only made if the stock is defruited The pattern of senescence of unions indicates a non polar movement of senescence factors from fruits.Leaves seem not to be involved in whole plant senescence.