Know more

Plant performance not only depends on primary inputs by photosynthesis and metabolism of individual organs, but also on metabolic coordination between organs and allocation. This includes carbon as well other elements (N and S). Currently, our knowledge of such a metabolic coordination is partly impeded by the lack of knowledge of phloem sap composition (also addressed in research theme 1, Source metabolism) but also our incomplete understanding of protein synthesis and remobilisation and how it is physiologically controlled. Our research aims at understanding the control of protein and amino-acid turn-over by photosynthesis and also nutrient utilisation, plant scale-metabolic cycle and therefore to incorporate this information so as to model the natural isotope composition of plant tissues (see here for an example on phloem homeostasis and allocation).