Intercellular sugar transport and plant productivity

Johannes Liesche (Graz): Plants export much of the sugar produced by photosynthesis from leaves to carbon sink organs, where they fuel growth and development. The sugar export rate is influenced by various factors, including sugar metabolism and transport, intercellular water flow, in-ter-organ sugar gradients and cell anatomies. We aim to elucidate how these factors combine to adjust sugar export according to growth strategy and environmental condi-tions in a broad range of plant species. Progress regarding the molecular regulation of sucrose transporter proteins and the physical constraints to transport imposed by phlo-em anatomy will be reported.