EXERCISE 9

STARCH SYNTHESIS
The Role of Chlorophyll and Light
Result:
Species Used: Zea mays leaf

Glucose + etiolated leaf +

dark incubated
Distilled water + etiolated leaf -
dark incubated
Distilled water+ etiolated leaf +
light incubated

Note:
An etiolated leaf, germinated and grown under dark condition, is used to make sure
that no photosynthesis/ triose phosphate production occurred prior to the
experiment that may cause error in the data.
 Discussion
 Glucose + etiolated leaf (dark incubated)
= it is positive due to the presence of
glucose

 Distilled water + etiolated leaf (dark incubated)

= it is negative due to the absence of glucose

 Distilled water+ etiolated leaf (light incubated)

= it is positive due to the production of
glucose in light condition
Discussion
 Glucose is the monomer unit of starch.
 Glucose can either be provided or
produced during photosynthesis.
 Photosynthesis takes place in the
chloroplast and requires light.
Conclusion
Light and chlorophyll is not
required for starch synthesis
because the starting substrate
can be provided.
Starch Production as Related to
Species

Result:
Plant Leaf Starch Test Water Extract
Benedict’s test

Papaya + +

Onion - +
Discussion
• Both plants are positive in Benedict’s Test,
therefore, both plants contain reducing
sugars (glucose) in their leaves which
means they possess chlorophyll.
• Between the two, only the papaya directly
synthesizes starch in the leaves while the
onion synthesizes and stores its starch in
its bulb.
Conclusion
Only plants with chlorophyll
can undergo photosynthesis
and produce monomer units
for starch. However, starch
storage is not limited to the
leaves, and may be found on
other parts of the plant.
 Starch Production in Variegated
Leaves

Result:
Leaf Starch Test Water Extract
Benedict’s Test
Green + +
Non – green - -

Note:
Variegated leaves are leaves that contain both green and non-green portions. The
green portions contain chlorophyll while the non-green portions do not contain
chlorophyll.
Discussion
 Green portions is positive on both tests
because it contains chlorophyll that
enables photosynthesis that yield glucose
for starch synthesis.
 A positive result both in leaf starch test
and Benedict’s test may also be obtained
for non-green portions of the leaf
because photosynthesis products get
transported to all parts of the plant.
Conclusion
Starch can still be found in
non-chlorophyllous parts of
the plant because
photosynthates are
transported all throughout for
nutrition.
 Study Questions:
1. Explain why some species do not produce
starch in leaves.

The starting substrate for starch

synthesis is produced in leaves where
the chlorophylls are. However, this
substrate may get transported and
stored as starch in other parts of the
plant such as roots, seeds and fruit.
2. Plants deficient in phosphorus often accumulate
starch in the chloroplast. Explain this observation.

Plants deficient in phosphorus affects the transport of

triose phosphate to cytosol (through phosphate
antiporter.) Without the antiporter, triose phosphate
will just accumulate in the chloroplast then undergo
starch synthesis.

Too much starch in the chloroplast will cause it to

interchange to an amyloplast.
3. Photosynthesis vs Starch synthesis
Photosynthesis Starch Synthesis

Reactants Involved H20 and CO2 Triose phosphate

Products formed Triose phosphate Starch
Key enzyme RuBisCo ADP- glucose phosphorylase
Requirement for light Required Not required
Requirement for Required Not required
chlorophyll
EXERCISE 10
PHOTORESPIRATION
 RESULT
DAY Control plant Plant inside the bell jar
C3 C4 C3 C4
0 Healthy Healthy Healthy Healthy

1 Healthy Healthy Healthy A little stunted

2 Healthy Healthy With some Necrosis on the

necrosis on the leaves; stunted
leaves
3 Healthy Healthy Necrosis on Necrosis and
some parts of chlorosis on
the leaves some parts of
the leaves
4 No No Chlorosis Necrosis on the Necrosis and
Chlorosis or or necrosis leaves chlorosis on the
necrosis leaves
First day Last day
Discussion
 C3 plants
- sufficient Carbon dioxide and Oxygen
 C4 plants
- low Carbon dioxide concentration but
has high oxygen concentration
RUBISCO- Oxygenase ( because of high
oxygen concentration)
PEP Carboxylase- Carbon dioxide acceptor
 STUDY QUESTIONS:
1. Will the oxygen concentration in the set-up
increase or decrease? What effect would
there be on C3 plants for such a change in
oxygen level?

The oxygen concentration will increase due

to rapid photosynthesis of the plants inside
the bell jar. This increase in oxygen
concentration will eventually cause reduction
of photosynthetic output and efficiency of C3
plants.
 STUDY QUESTIONS:
2. Define carbon dioxide compensation point
and light compensation point.

Light compensation point is the intensity

of light on a light curve wherein rate of
photosynthesis balances rate of cellular
respiration and the net carbon dioxide
exchange is zero which is called the
carbon dioxide compensation point.
 STUDY QUESTIONS:
3. With the decline in carbon dioxide
concentration in the set-up, which species
would still exhibit net photosynthesis after
one week? Explain.

C4 plants would exhibit net photosynthesis

after one week despite of low carbon dioxide
inside the jar. PEP carboxylase, an enzyme
present in C4 plants, has high affinity for
carbon dioxide to allow photosynthesis for
plant survival.
STUDY QUESTIONS:
Meanwhile, C3 plants’ photorespiration
rate is higher than photosynthesis rate
since RuBisCO would function as an
oxygenase due to high concentration of
oxygen. This response gives off higher
energy release than production, therefore,
C3 plants will eventually die.
 References
https://learning-
center.homesciencetools.com/article/photosynthe
sis-science/
http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2004-
02/1076977290.Bt.r.html
http://hyperphysics.phy-
astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Biology/plaene.html
http://bio1520.biology.gatech.edu/nutrition-transport-
and-homeostasis/plant-transport-processes-ii/
https://plantcellbiology.masters.grkraj.org/html/Plant_
Cellular_Structures10-Plastids.htm
http://biologicalexceptions.blogspot.com/2017/12/whe
n-is-chloroplast-not-chloroplast.html