Coping with herbivory at the juvenile stage: responses to defoliation and stem browsing in the African savanna tree Colophospermum mopane

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C. Hartnett ◽  
Jacqueline P. Ott ◽  
Kathryn Sebes ◽  
Marks K. Ditlhogo
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Leaf Size ◽  
Lateral Branch ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Total Leaf Area ◽  
Branch Number ◽  
Colophospermum Mopane ◽  
Total Leaf ◽  
Imbrasia Belina

Abstract:Responses of plants to herbivory are dependent on the type of damage and the ontogenetic stage of the plant. We compared the effects of stem pruning and defoliation on seedlings of Colophospermum mopane, an ecologically important tree species widely distributed in southern Africa. The growth of 160 greenhouse-grown juveniles were measured for 6-mo after germination and then 6-mo after treatments including 50% defoliation, 100% defoliation, 50% stem pruning and controls. Pruning resulted in 30% reductions in total leaf area, height and biomass. Partial defoliation resulted in 30% reductions in total leaf area and plant biomass. However, complete defoliation resulted in a 30% increase in biomass production, a doubling in leaf and lateral branch number, a 45% reduction in leaf size, and no change in total leaf area. Thus, completely defoliated seedlings showed greater performance than those that were only partially defoliated, indicating that C. mopane has become adapted to the chronic and severe defoliation inflicted by Imbrasia belina caterpillars. Comparison of our results with other studies indicates that C. mopane seedlings are less herbivory-tolerant than adults and that pruning has more negative effects than defoliation. Thus, seedling browsers may constrain recruitment in C. mopane, influencing its population dynamics and abundance.

scholarly journals Effects of Fertilizers, Salinity, and Medium on Growth of Phalaenopsis Orchid

HortScience ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 764C-764
Author(s):  
Yin-Tung Wang
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Leaf Size ◽  
Water Salinity ◽  
Fresh Weight ◽  
Total Leaf Area ◽  
Total Leaf ◽  
O 10 ◽  
Receiving Water

Seedling Phalaenopsis (P. Taisuco Eagle × P. Taisuco Rose) plants with an 8- to 10-cm leaf span were grown in 10-cm pots filled with a medium consisting of 70% fine fir bark and 30% peatmoss (by volume). Plants were given (in N–P2O5–K2O) 10–30–20, 15–10–30, 15–20–25, 20–5–19, 20–10–20, or 20–20–20 fertilizers at the 100 or 200 mg N/liter rate. Pots were leached with water following every two fertigations. After 7 months, leaf span, leaf size, total leaf area, and fresh weight were not affected by fertilizer type. The differences in leaf numbers were small. The higher rate of fertilizer resulted in plants with wider leaf span (32.8 vs. 28.5 cm), more (5.5 vs. 4.8), larger (103 vs. 89 cm2) leaves, and greater total leaf area (355 vs. 275 cm2) than did the lower rate. In another experiment, similar plants with a leaf span of 15 to 18 cm were grown in 10-cm pots with 100% fine fir bark or a mixture of 80% fine fir bark and 20% peatmoss. They were fertigated with water having an EC - 0.05, 0.40, 0.75, 1.10, or 1.40 dS·m–1 containing 1 g·liter–1 20–20–20 fertilizer three times and then drenched with their respective water containing 0.6 g·liter–1 Ca NO3)2·4H2O. After 11 months, water salinity did not affect the date of spiking. Plants receiving water with EC = 1.10 dS·m–1 had more leaves and spikes than other treatments. Plants in the bark/peatmoss mix began spiking earlier, had more leaves (6.7 vs. 5.7), and more inflorescences (1.9 vs. 1.5) than those in 100% bark. There was no salinity x medium interaction in all the parameters recorded.

Leaf area dynamics in Liquidambar styraciflua saplings: responses to nitrogen fertilization

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (11) ◽  
pp. 1660-1670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Kuers ◽  
Klaus Steinbeck
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Leaf Size ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Liquidambar Styraciflua ◽  
Total Leaf Area ◽  
Leaf Production ◽  
N Supply ◽  
Total Leaf ◽  
Autumn Leaf

Total leaf production, vertical foliage profiles, and the timing of leaf production and loss were compared in fertilized and unfertilized 3-year-old sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) saplings. Nitrogen (N) fertilization increased total leaf area and mass through increased leaf size rather than changes in leaf number or specific leaf mass. Both the vertical and temporal distribution of foliage shifted in response to N. Fertilization increased leaf area primarily in the mid- to upper crown. The midheight of the tree crowns shifted upward throughout the season as leaf abscission occurred from the base to the top of the tree and acropetally along the branches. Peak leaf display occurred in July regardless of N supply. However, fertilized trees had twice the leaf area of the unfertilized trees by early autumn. Leaf area production and loss were modeled separately as a function of fertilization and crown height and the equations combined to model temporal changes in leaf area display.

scholarly journals Developmental genetics of leaf formation in Lolium 3. Inheritance of a developmental complex

1970 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. J. R. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Leaf Size ◽  
Leaf Length ◽  
Developmental Genetics ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Total Leaf Area ◽  
Total Leaf ◽  
Leaf Formation ◽  
Leaf Appearance ◽  
Rate Of Leaf Appearance

SUMMARYUsing four lines derived from a single base population of Lolium perenne by selection for large leaf size (LL), small leaf size (SL), fast rate of leaf appearance (FR), and slow rate of leaf appearance (SR), the inheritance of a number of related characters specifying various aspects of leaf development was studied. F1 and F2 generations were produced for all possible crosses between these four lines.The genetic differences between the selection lines were largely additive for all characters studied and entirely so for rate of leaf appearance, duration of elongation of a single leaf and for the time interval between the maturation of leaf 3 and the unfolding of the next youngest leaf on the same side of the apex, leaf 5. The non-additive variances noted in rate of total leaf area formation, individual leaf size and its components length and width, and in the rate of leaf elongation, were associated with a tendency towards heterosis in these characters. This was quite marked in some crosses and tended to be larger for the more complex characters, rate of total leaf area formation and leaf size, suggesting that the heterosis was, to a considerable extent, due to interactions between genes controlling component characters.The data confirmed the earlier finding that the negative correlated selection response between leaf size and rate of leaf appearance was due to a basic association between the maturation of a leaf and the unfolding (onset of rapid elongation) of the next youngest leaf on the same side of the apex. Thus an increase in rate of leaf appearance reduces the duration of elongation of a leaf and this in turn will reduce leaf length. However, the basic association, which seems to be controlled by vascular development of the young leaf, is not entirely invariate.

Interactive effects of season and light environment on growth and leaf dynamics of evergreen tree seedlings in the humid subtropics

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 589-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. C. Cornelissen
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Leaf Size ◽  
Light Environment ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Tree Seedlings ◽  
Total Leaf Area ◽  
Relative Growth ◽  
Relative Growth Rates ◽  
Total Leaf

Interactive effects of season and light environment on tree seedling growth were studied in four evergreen species in the humid subtropics of China. These species were the needle-leaved pioneer Pinus massoniana and the broad-leaved shade-tolerant Castanopsis fargesii, Sloanea leptocarpa, and Elaeocarpus japonicus. The experimental outdoor light environments, which broadly simulated those in forest gaps and clearings, were 100, 55, 33, and 18% of incident light quantity. Mean relative growth rates for both total leaf area and s tem height revealed interaction of season and light environment in Pinus, Castanopsis, and Elaeocarpus. In these species, mean relative growth rates were higher in summer in more shaded environments and in autumn in more exposed environments, but this shift was not as clear in Castanopsis. Winter growth was virtually nil in all species, although Pinus still achieved some winter stem height change. The hypothesis that late-successional rather than early-successional species would demonstrate interactions of season and light environment on growth and development was not sufficiently supported by the data. Variation in mean relative growth rates for total leaf area was due to changes in whole-plant average leaf size as well as leaf numbers. In Sloanea and Elaeocarpus seedlings in high light environments, reduced leaf size and enhanced leaf abscission rates gave rise to negative mean relative growth rates for total leaf area. The more sun-tolerant Castanopsis seedlings revealed no such leaf size response and shed few, if any, leaves in any of the light environments. These results indicate that seasonal variability in the growth response of tree seedlings to the light environment is an important factor to be taken into account in studies on gap dynamics of subtropical forests. Keywords: China, leaf area, leaf turnover, leaf size, mean relative growth rate, shade, subtropical, sun.

Sexual differences in morphology and aboveground biomass allocation in relation to branch number in Morus alba saplings

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huihui Huan ◽  
Bixia Wang ◽  
Gang Liu ◽  
Xiao Xu ◽  
Xinhua He
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Biomass Allocation ◽  
Aboveground Biomass ◽  
Biomass Accumulation ◽  
Morus Alba ◽  
Sexual Differences ◽  
Leaf Number ◽  
Total Leaf Area ◽  
Branch Number ◽  
Total Leaf

The effect of branch number on crown size and biomass accumulation has been reported for many trees, but knowledge about sexual differences in growth and aboveground biomass allocation related to branch number is still limited. Morus alba L. is a dioecious plant of economic importance, and was employed as a model species in our study. Thirty male and 30 female 1-month-old M. alba saplings with single or multiple (five) primary branches were cultivated for one growing season. Sexual differences in gas exchange, morphology, biomass accumulation and allocation, and relationships among morphological and biomass traits were investigated. Branch multiplication significantly increased the total leaf number, total leaf area, total leaf mass, aboveground mass, leaf : stem biomass ratio and specific leaf area at the plant level but decreased net photosynthetic rate (Pn), leaf number, mean single-leaf area, stem length, basal diameter and branch biomass at the branch level. Five-branch male saplings exhibited a significantly higher Pn, total leaf number, total leaf area, total leaf mass and aboveground biomass than did female ones. No such between plant sex differences were found in single-branch saplings. Further, branch number was positively correlated with aboveground mass in male saplings only. Our results demonstrate that branch multiplication might result in sexual differences in morphology and biomass accumulation and male saplings may allocate greater resources than females to aboveground parts for vegetative growth.

Light Response of Native and IntroducedMiscanthus sinensisSeedlings

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
David P. Matlaga ◽  
Lauren D. Quinn ◽  
Adam S. Davis ◽  
J. Ryan Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Biomass Allocation ◽  
Shade Tolerance ◽  
Light Response ◽  
Leaf Size ◽  
The United States ◽  
Total Leaf Area ◽  
Light Levels ◽  
Light Gradient ◽  
Total Leaf

The Asian grassMiscanthus sinensis(Poaceae) is being considered for use as a bioenergy crop in the U.S. Corn Belt. Originally introduced to the United States for ornamental plantings, it escaped, forming invasive populations. The concern is that naturalizedM. sinensispopulations have evolved shade tolerance. We tested the hypothesis that seedlings from within the invasive U.S. range ofM. sinensiswould display traits associated with shade tolerance, namely increased area for light capture and phenotypic plasticity, compared with seedlings from the native Japanese populations. In a common garden experiment, seedlings of 80 half-sib maternal lines were grown from the native range (Japan) and 60 half-sib maternal lines from the invasive range (U.S.) under four light levels. Seedling leaf area, leaf size, growth, and biomass allocation were measured on the resulting seedlings after 12 wk. Seedlings from both regions responded strongly to the light gradient. High light conditions resulted in seedlings with greater leaf area, larger leaves, and a shift to greater belowground biomass investment, compared with shaded seedlings. Japanese seedlings produced more biomass and total leaf area than U.S. seedlings across all light levels. Generally, U.S. and Japanese seedlings allocated a similar amount of biomass to foliage and equal leaf area per leaf mass. Subtle differences in light response by region were observed for total leaf area, mass, growth, and leaf size. U.S. seedlings had slightly higher plasticity for total mass and leaf area but lower plasticity for measures of biomass allocation and leaf traits compared with Japanese seedlings. Our results do not provide general support for the hypothesis of increasedM. sinensisshade tolerance within its introduced U.S. range compared with native Japanese populations.

scholarly journals Lesser-known ethnic leafy vegetables Talinum paniculatum grown at tropical ecosystem: Morphological traits and non-destructive estimation of total leaf area per branch

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benyamin Lakitan ◽  
Kartika Kartika ◽  
Laily Ilman Widuri ◽  
Erna Siaga ◽  
Lya Nailatul Fadilah
Keyword(s):  
Regression Model ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Stem Cuttings ◽  
Total Leaf Area ◽  
Tropical Ecosystem ◽  
Total Leaf ◽  
Tropical Conditions ◽  
Non Destructive

Abstract. Lakitan B, Kartika K, Widuri LI, Siaga E, Fadilah LN. 2021. Lesser-known ethnic leafy vegetables Talinum paniculatum grown at tropical ecosystem: Morphological traits and non-destructive estimation of total leaf area per branch. Biodiversitas 22: 4487-4495. Talinum paniculatum known as Java ginseng is an ethnic vegetable in Indonesia that has also been utilized as a medical plant. Young leaves are the primary economic part of T. paniculatum, which can be eaten fresh or cooked. This study was focused on characterizing morphological traits of T. panicultaum and developing a non-destructive yet accurate and reliable model for predicting total area per leaf cluster on each elongated branch per flush growth cycle. The non-destructive approach allows frequent and timely measurements. In addition, the developed model can be used as guidance for deciding the time to harvest for optimum yield. Results indicated that T. paniculatum flourished rapidly under wet tropical conditions, especially if they were propagated using stem cuttings. The plants produced more than 50 branches and more than 800 leaves, or on average produced more than 15 leaves per branch at the age of nine weeks after planting (WAP). The zero-intercept linear model using a combination of two traits of length x width (LW) as a predictor was accurate and reliable for predicting a single leaf area (R2 = 0.997). Meanwhile, the estimation of total area per leaf cluster was more accurate if three traits, i.e., number of leaves, the longest leaf, and the widest leaf in each cluster were used as predictors with the zero-intercept linear regression model (R2 = 0.984). However, the use of a single trait of length (L) and width (W) of the largest leaf within each cluster as a predictor in the power regression model exhibited moderately accurate prediction at the R2 = 0.883 and 0.724, respectively.

scholarly journals Genetic variance of sunflower yield components - Heliantus annuus L.

Genetika ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nada Hladni ◽  
Dragan Skoric ◽  
Marija Kraljevic-Balalic
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Plant Height ◽  
Leaf Number ◽  
Total Leaf Area ◽  
Gene Effects ◽  
Partial Dominance ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Total Leaf ◽  
Additive Gene ◽  
Mode Of Inheritance

The main goals of sunflower breeding in Yugoslavia and abroad are increased seed yield and oil content per unit area and increased resistance to diseases, insects and stress conditions via an optimization of plant architecture. In order to determine the mode of inheritance, gene effects and correlations of total leaf number per plant, total leaf area and plant height, six genetically divergent inbred lines of sunflower were subjected to half diallel crosses. Significant differences in mean values of all the traits were found in the F1 and F2 generations. Additive gene effects were more important in the inheritance of total leaf number per plant and plant height, while in the case of total leaf area per plant the nonadditive ones were more important looking at all the combinations in the F1 and F2 generations. The average degree of dominance (Hi/D)1/2 was lower than one for total leaf number per plant and plant height, so the mode of inheritance was partial dominance, while with total leaf area the value was higher than one, indicating super dominance as the mode of inheritance. Significant positive correlation was found: between total leaf area per plant and total leaf number per plant (0.285*) and plant height (0.278*). The results of the study are of importance for further sunflower breeding work.

scholarly journals Concentration and periods of application of prohexadione calcium in the growth of strawberry seedlings

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 1937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Farias Barreto ◽  
Leticia Vanni Ferreira ◽  
Savana Irribarem Costa ◽  
Andressa Vighi Schiavon ◽  
Tais Barbosa Becker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Chlorophyll Concentration ◽  
Growth Control ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Energy Costs ◽  
Petiole Length ◽  
Total Leaf Area ◽  
Total Leaf ◽  
Control Growth ◽  
Prohexadione Calcium

For strawberry cultivation in Brazil, producers are dependent on imported seedlings. An alternative strategy to reduce this dependence is the use of seedlings obtained from nursery plants grown in a protected environment. However, as these seedlings are produced in the summer and planted at the end of this season or the spring of the following year, it is necessary to control growth to reduce the energy costs of the plants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations and periods of application of proexadione calcium (ProCa) on growth control of strawberry seedlings. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse with seedlings of the cultivars ‘Aromas’ and ‘Camarosa’, produced by rooting stolons and kept in polystyrene trays of 72 cells in a substrate of carbonized rice husk. The experimental design was completely randomized, with a 4 × 2 factorial scheme (4 concentrations of ProCa: 0, 100, 200, and 400 mg L-1 × 2 periods of application: at 20 and 30 days after the planting period of rooting stolon). Plant survival, crown diameter, petiole length, total leaf area, specific leaf area, chlorophyll concentration, and dry mass of the crown and shoot were evaluated. The application of ProCa at 20 days after the planting period of the rooting stolon at the concentrations of 200 and 400 mg L-1 favored the reduction of petiole length in plants of ‘Aromas’ strawberry and total leaf aerial in ‘Camarosa’ strawberry. The application of ProCa from the concentration of 100 mg L-1 reduced the vegetative growth of ‘Aromas’ and ‘Camarosa’ strawberry seedlings cultivated in substrate.

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