Strontium mobility in germinating seeds and plants

The uptake of strontium in the bean plant (Phaseolus vulgaris) was linear for the first 34 hr during continuous exposure to radiostrontium. After 35 hr there was a sharp increase in the rate of uptake to 48 hr. Radioactivity could be detected in the plant as early as 1 hr after addition of radiostrontium to the growth medium.Seventy-five percent of the radiostrontium was located in the seed coat immediately after soaking bean seed in an (89)Sr solution. This radioactivity in the seed coat decreased rapidly up to the tenth day, while the proportion of strontium in the cotyledons increased, after which time the proportion of radiostrontium in the cotyledons began to decrease. The amount of radioactivity of the seedling axis increased constantly, as did the activity of the first and second leaves after their appearance on about the seventh day. The radioactivity in the developing third and fourth leaves of cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum) increased at the expense of the radioactivity in the first 2 leaves and stems. This represents a movement into certain parts and then a retranslocation out of these parts as other tissue begins to develop.