SUGAR Model-Assisted Analysis of Carbon Allocation and Transformation in Tomato Fruit Under Different Water Along With Potassium Conditions

Carbohydrate concentrations in fruit are closely related to the availability of water and mineral nutrients. Water stress and minerals alter the assimilation, operation, and distribution of carbohydrates, thereby affecting the fruit quality. The SUGAR model was used to investigate the carbon balance in tomato fruit during different growth stages when available water was varied and potassium added. Further, we quantitatively studied the distribution of photoassimilates such as structural carbohydrates, soluble sugars, and starch in fruit and evaluated their response to water and potassium supply. The results revealed that the carbon allocation and transformation dynamically changed during the all growth stages; in fact, variation in carbon content showed similar trends for different water along with potassium treatments, carbon allocation during the early development stages was mainly to starch and structural carbon compounds. The relative rate of carbon conversion of soluble sugars to structural carbon compounds (k(3)) and of soluble sugars to starch (k(5m)) peaked during the initial stage and then dropped during fruit growth and development stages. Carbon was primarily allocated as soluble sugars and starch was converted to soluble sugars at fruit maturation. k(3)(t) and k(5m)(t) approached zero at the end of the growth stage, mainly due to sugar accumulation. Potassium application can significantly raise carbon flows imported (C(supply)) from the phloem into the fruit and thus increased carbon allocation to soluble sugars over the entire growth period. Potassium addition during the fruit maturation stage decreased the content of starch and other carbon compounds. Water deficit regulated carbon allocation and increased soluble sugar content but reduced structural carbon content, thereby improving fruit quality.