Alison M. Smith (John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK)
Photosynthesis provides the carbon substrates for plant growth, but this process is possible only in chloroplast-containing cells in the light. No photosynthesis can occur at night, and the great majority of cells in the plant are not photosynthetic. In order to avoid carbon starvation and consequent cessation of growth at night and in non-photosynthetic cells, plants must 1) set aside reserves during the day to provide a carbon supply at night, 2) control the rate of use of reserves at night to ensure that carbon substrates are available until dawn, 3) recognise when night is falling, in order to activate reserve mobilisation, and 4) coordinate carbon demand by non-photosynthetic organs with carbon supply from the leaves over the day-night cycle.
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