Effect of a long chain aliphatic alkohols on growth. gas exchange and assimilate parlitioning in radish plant

Abstract

In pot experiments the influence of long chain aliphatic alcohols (hexacosanol - HEXA, octacosanol - OCTA and triacontanol - TRIA), which were used in concentration O.00l mg·dm³ , on growth, assimilate partitioning and gas exchange of radish plants cv. "Krakowianka" and "Sopel lodu" were studied. The received results showed that triacontanol was characterized by higher physiological activity than remaining alcohols. TRIA significantly increased yield of mass, as well as it changed the pattern of distribution of assimilates in plants. Under its influence the rate of mass of leaves to mass of storage organs decreased as well as the share of mass of leaves in the total mass of both plant cultivars. TRIA stimulated the rate of net photosynthesis (P_n), howewer, it did not influence the other detennined gas exchange parameters: substomatal concentration of CO₂ (c_i), stomatal conductance for water vapour (g_s) and rate of transpiration (T_r). Remaining alcohols (HEXA and OCFA) did not any influence on growth of plants and their gas exchange but only on distribution of biomass.