Tuesday 31 May 2016

biochemistry - What is the maximum potential sucrose concentration of plant sap? What keeps plants below this potential?

I am interested in identifying the maximum potential dissolved sucrose (%w/w) that plant sap could have, and which (biological, physical, chemical) factors constrain the observed sucrose concentrations.



For example, sugar maple has one of the highest sucrose contents at 6%, and the solution also contains fructose, glucose, organic acids, minerals (K, Ca, Mn, Zn, Na, Cl), amino acids, volatile organic compounds, phenols, enzymes (according to Wikipedia), and most sap flow occurs when temperatures cross the freezing point each day.



Is there a way that I can calculate this theoretical maximum from "first principles" of organic- or bio-chemistry, or is this a question better suited for empirical study?



this is a biological application of my question at physics.SE

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