Positron‐emitting tracer imaging of fluoride transport and distribution in tea plant

• Published in: Journal of the science of food and agriculture 2020-06, Vol.100 (8), p.3554-3559
• Main Authors: Niu, Hui‐liang, Peng, Chuan‐yi, Zhu, Xu‐dong, Dong, Yang‐yang, Li, Ye‐yun, Tang, Ling‐ling, Wan, Xiao‐chun, Cai, Hui‐mei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accumulators; Biological Transport; Camellia sinensis - chemistry; Camellia sinensis - metabolism; fluoride; Fluorides; Fluorides - analysis; Fluorides - metabolism; Industrial plants; Leaves; Monitoring; Phloem - chemistry; Phloem - metabolism; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Plant Leaves - metabolism; positron emission tomography; real‐time imaging; Roots; Stems; Tea; tea plant; Transport; transport and distribution; Xylem; Xylem - chemistry; Xylem - metabolism
• ISSN: 0022-5142; 1097-0010
• DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.10367

BACKGROUND Tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) is a hyper‐accumulator of fluoride (F). To understand F uptake and distribution in living plants, we visually evaluated the real‐time transport of F absorbed by roots and leaves using a positron‐emitting (18F) fluoride tracer and a positron‐emitting tracer imaging system. RESULTS F arrived at an aerial plant part about 1.5 h after absorption by roots, suggesting that tea roots had a retention effect on F, and then was transported upward mainly via the xylem and little via the phloem along the tea stem, but no F was observed in the leaves within the initial 8 h. F absorbed via a cut petiole (leaf 4) was mainly transported downward along the stem within the initial 2 h. Although F was first detected in the top and ipsilateral leaves, it was not detected in tea roots by the end of the monitoring. During the monitoring time, F principally accumulated in the node. CONCLUSION F uptake by the petiole of excised leaf and root system was realized in different ways. The nodes indicated that they may play pivotal roles in the transport of F in tea plants. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry