Root-Zone CO2 Concentration Affects Partitioning and Assimilation of Carbon in Oriental Melon Seedlings

Abstract

Root-zone CO2 is essential for plant growth and metabolism. However, the partitioning and assimilation processes of CO2 absorbed by roots remain unclear in various parts of the oriental melon. We investigated the time at which root-zone CO2 enters the oriental melon root system, and its distribution in different parts of the plant, using 13C stable isotopic tracer experiments, as well as the effects of high root-zone CO2 on leaf carbon assimilation-related enzyme activities and gene expressions under 0.2%, 0.5% and 1% root-zone CO2 concentrations. The results showed that oriental melon roots could absorb CO2 and transport it quickly to the stems and leaves. The distribution of 13C in roots, stems and leaves increased with an increase in the labeled root-zone CO2 concentration, and the δ13C values in roots, stems and leaves increased initially, and then decreased with an increase in feeding time, reaching a peak at 24 h after 13C isotope labeling. The total accumulation of 13C in plants under the 0.5% and 1% 13CO2 concentrations was lower than that in the 0.2% 13CO2 treatment. However, the distributional proportion of 13C in leaves under 0.5% and 1% 13CO2 was significantly higher than that under the 0.2% CO2 concentration. Photosynthetic carbon assimilation-related enzyme activities and gene expressions in the leaves of oriental melon seedlings were inhibited after 9 days of high root-zone CO2 treatment. According to these results, oriental melon plants’ carbon distribution was affected by long-term high root-zone CO2, and reduced the carbon assimilation ability of the leaves. These findings provide a basis for the further quantification of the contribution of root-zone CO2 to plant communities in natural field conditions.