Carbohydrate metabolism in setting and aborting maize ovaries

摘要

Recent experiments reveal that particular aspects of C metabolism and enzymology are important for ovary growth and seed set in maize(Zea mays L.). Ovary growth depends on a continuous C stream from the parent plant, and treatments that inhibit photosynthesis can interrupt this stream, leading to a cessation in ovary development and a lower seed set. In addition, however, sucrose arriving at the ovaries appears to be processed by invertase, and the development of invertase activity is associated with ovary growth.