Uptake of 32P by young plants of Banksia hookeriana meissner when healthy and infected with Phytophthora cinnamomi rands

Abstract

Young plants of Banksia hookeriana were grown in acid-washed sand with adequate phosphate and water supply, and a proportion were inoculated with Phytophthora cinnamomi. There were no major differences in growth between uninoculated and infected plants, but there was a large increase in uptake of 32P with increasing root disease. In healthy plants 32P uptake was greatest in young leaf tissue, but in diseased plants labelled phosphate was directed more towards older leaves where the activity was almost twice that of young leaves.Enhanced uptake with disease was ascribed to possible blockage of the 'message' or 'signal' of phosphate translocation from shoot to root, such that the diseased root..