Studies on distribution pattern of ¹⁴C-assimilates in relation to vascular pattern derived from phyllotaxis of tomato plants

The association of distribution of photosynthetic assimilates in tomato with phyllotaxis and arrangement of the vascular system was studied. To ascertain the phyllotaxis of tomato plants, which was alternate with four orthostichies with devergence of 90° (270°) and 180°, the vascular system was revealed by methylene blue (0.5%), eothine (1.0%) and fuchsin (1.0%) from leaf petioles and the distribution of photosynthetic assmilates was measured by ¹⁴C. The vascular system of tomato basically consisted of four orthostichies with two vascular bundles from each leaf. The arrangement of the vascular systems evidently affected the movement of ¹⁴C-assimilates to sinks. Such movement from each leaf was affected by the degree of connection of the vascular bundles. Since tomato has a sympodial branching system, the leaf which is apparently situated just above the inflorescence differentiated before the inflorescence. The vascular bundles of the leaf of the sympodial branch around the inflorescence developed between the inflorescence and the leaf just above it. This results in a comparatively small proportion of distribution to the inflorescence from the leaf just above it