Distribution of (14)C-labelled sucrose in seedlings of Pisum sativum L. Treated with indoleacetic acid and kinetin.

The influence of decapitation and treatment with IAA and/or kinetin on the pattern of distribution of (14)C-labelled sucrose applied to the third leaf of 14-day old dwarf pea seedlings was investigated. Decapitation resulted in a diversion of the labelled metabolites to the lateral buds, and greatly increased the radioactivity present in the root system indicating that in these seedlings the roots and apex actively competed for translocates from the third leaf. Application of IAA to the decapitated internode prevented the growth of the lateral buds for the duration of the experiment and restored the pattern of distribution of labelled metabolites found in the intact plant. Application of kinetin alone resulted in a marked accumulation of labelled materials in the lateral buds, but when kinetin was applied with IAA metabolites were once again diverted from the lateral buds to the treated internode. Neither of these treatments had any influence on the proportion of the translocated materials which accumulated in the root system when compared with intact plants. The results are discussed in relation to current concepts of 'hormone-directed transport' of nutrients in plants.