Photosynthetic Responses to Phosphorus Nutrition in Eucalyptus grandis Seedlings

1990 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 527 ◽  
Author(s):  
MUF Kirschbaum ◽  
D Tompkins

Eucalyptus grandis seedlings were grown in growth units in which plant roots were suspended in air while continuously being sprayed with nutrient solution (aeroponic system). Phosphorus was added to nutrient solutions in exponentially increasing amounts which determined plant growth rates. Plants were grown at five relative phosphorus addition rates, and photosynthetic performance of leaves was compared across treatments. Carbon assimilation rates ranged from 11.7 μmol m-2 s-1 for plants with lowest phosphorus status to 23.1 μmol m-2 s-1 for plants with highest phosphorus status. Intercellular partial pressures of CO2 concomitantly decreased from 260 pbar for plants with lowest to 220 μbar for plants with highest phosphorus status. Leaves in all treatments showed a decrease in assimilation rate at intercellular partial pressures of CO2 above c. 600 μbar. There was no consistent correlation between the extent of that decrease and the phosphorus status of leaves. Assimilation rates were correlated with leaf phosphorus content. This relationship was apparent on either a unit leaf area or unit leaf weight basis. Assimilation rates and leaf nitrogen content per unit leaf weight were also correlated. In contrast, there was no correlation between leaf assimilation rate per unit leaf area and nitrogen content per unit leaf area, as nitrogen content per unit area was similar for all phosphorus treatments. The differences between correlations on a weight and area basis were due to differences in specific leaf area in different treatments, with plants with lower phosphorus status having less leaf area per unit leaf weight. The photosynthetic measurements showed that CO2 assimilation rate, together with relative leaf growth rate, was one of the processes most sensitive to phosphorus nutrition.

2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 23-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Cangi ◽  
D. A Atalay

The effects of different levels of bud loading on the yield and some leaf and fruit characteristics in Hayward cultivar (A. deliciosa) in the province of Ordu, Turkey were examined during two growing seasons in 2000&ndash;2001. Six years old kiwifruit vines were pruned to carry the loads of 120, 180, 240 or 300 buds/vine on the canes with 12 buds. The study determined probable total leaf area (PTLA), probable total leaf number (PTLN), probable total leaf weight (PTLW) and yield per vine. Mean fruit weight (MFW) and soluble solid contents (SSC, %) of fruits were expressed. In addition, unit leaf area/100 g fruit weight (ULA/FW) was calculated. Leaf characteristics were examined in 3 periods of the growing season. Correlations between yield, leaf and fruit characteristics and treatments were determined. The result of the experiment, namely mean leaf area (MLA), mean leaf weight (MLW), PTLA, PTLN, PTLW ranged between 185.51&ndash;194.17 cm<sup>2</sup>, 7.98&ndash;8.67 g, 21.047&ndash;58.61 m<sup>2</sup>/vine, 1,129.6&ndash;3,035.3 number/vine, 9.04&ndash;25.68 kg/vine, respectively. The mean yields of vines loaded with 120 and 300 buds were 34.84 and 100.96 kg/vine (12.19 and 35.34 ton/ha), respectively. Mean leaf area and mean leaf weight increased with increasing levels of bud loading, whereas MFW and ULA/FW decreased. There was a negative relationship between MFW, SSC and yield, and a positive relationship between MLA, PTLA and yield. ULA/FW ratio was between 581.88&ndash;611.54 cm<sup>2 </sup>according to the bud loading level. Fruit size diminished as a consequence of dense canopies in both levels of bud loading (120 and 300 buds/vine). Unit leaf area per fruit weight ranged between 581.88&ndash;611.54 cm<sup>2</sup>/100 g, with respect to the bud loading applications. Increasing levels of bud loading resulted in reduced ULA/FW ratio and affected yield and some leaf and fruit characteristics. &nbsp;


2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 521-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shimpei Oikawa ◽  
Kouki Hikosaka ◽  
Tadaki Hirose ◽  
Masae Shiyomi ◽  
Shigeo Takahashi ◽  
...  

We studied the life-span and ecophysiological traits of "leaves" (fronds) that emerged at different times during the growing season in a deciduous herbaceous fern, Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn (in this paper we use "leaves" for fronds to be consistent with other studies on leaf phenology). Leaf life-span was shorter in later than in early cohorts. Leaf construction cost per unit mass was nearly constant among cohorts. Later cohorts had a lower leaf construction cost per unit leaf area with a lower leaf mass per area. Leaf life-span was positively correlated with construction cost per unit area. Late cohorts showed a slightly higher leaf nitrogen content per unit mass, but a lower nitrogen content per unit leaf area with a lower light-saturated photosynthesis per unit area. Light-saturated photosynthesis per unit area was positively correlated with leaf life-span. The ratio of leaf construction cost to light-saturated photosynthesis was lower in late cohorts, and the ratio was nearly proportional to leaf life-span, suggesting that late cohorts may pay back the construction cost despite their shorter life-span.Key words: leaf construction cost, leaf life-span, payback time, light-saturated photosynthesis, seasonal change.


1994 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Watanabe ◽  
JR Evans ◽  
WS Chow

A selection of Australian wheat cultivars, representative of those widely cultivated over the last century, was grown in the glasshouse. Photosynthetic properties of the flag leaves were determined as well as the chlorophyll, soluble protein, nitrogen and photosystem II content of the leaves. The rate of electron transport was calculated from gas exchange measurements at high CO2 partial pressures or from chlorophyll fluorescence. We found a trend towards higher rates of CO2 assimilation, higher chlorophyll and nitrogen contents per unit leaf area over time. The increase in leaf nitrogen and photosynthetic rate is most probably due to the introduction of the Rht dwarfing genes. Counter to this we observed declines in rate of electron transport per unit chlorophyll, chlorophyll a/b ratio and photosystem II content per unit chlorophyll. Because the chlorophyll to nitrogen ratio was similar between cultivars, lowering of the rate of electron transport per unit chlorophyll in modern cultivars results in a fall in the rate of electron transport per unit of nitrogen. There was no variation in the ratio of intercellular to ambient CO2 partial pressures, or leaf mass per unit leaf area. The comparison of a near isogenic pair, with or without a portion of a rye chromosome that is associated with high yield, did not reveal any association with photosynthetic characteristics. It is suggested that selection for higher chlorophyll a/b ratios for a given leaf chlorophyll content may provide a feasible surrogate for selecting higher photosynthetic capacity.


1987 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 59 ◽  
Author(s):  
JR Evans ◽  
I Terashima

Spinach plants (Spinacia oleracea L.) were grown in hydroponic culture in a glasshouse under full sunlight. They were supplied with different concentrations of nitrate nitrogen in solution, ranging from 1 to 12 mM, in order to produce leaves with different nitrogen contents. Oxygen evolution at CO2 saturation was measured as a function of absorbed irradiance in leaf discs with an oxygen electrode. Electron transport activities, reaction centre densities, cytochrome f and plastoquinone contents, RuP2 carboxylase and coupling factor activities and soluble protein content were measured in similar material. Although nitrogen and chlorophyll contents per unit leaf area were reduced by 60% by nitrogen deficiency, when expressed on a chlorophyll basis, thylakoid components, electron transport activities and the rate of oxygen evolution at CO2 saturation were similar between nitrogen treatments. In contrast, the content of soluble protein and RuP2 carboxylase expressed on a chlorophyll basis was greater the greater the nitrogen content per unit leaf area. Therefore the ratio of RuP2 carboxylase activity to electron transport activity increased in leaves having greater nitrogen content.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keisuke Sasaki ◽  
Yuuki Ida ◽  
Sakihito Kitajima ◽  
Tetsu Kawazu ◽  
Takashi Hibino ◽  
...  

Abstract Alteration in the leaf mesophyll anatomy by genetic modification is potentially a promising tool for improving the physiological functions of trees by improving leaf photosynthesis. Homeodomain leucine zipper (HD-Zip) transcription factors are candidates for anatomical alterations of leaves through modification of cell multiplication, differentiation, and expansion. Full-length cDNA encoding a Eucalyptus camaldulensis HD-Zip class II transcription factor (EcHB1) was over-expressed in vivo in the hybrid Eucalyptus GUT5 generated from Eucalyptus grandis and Eucalyptus urophylla. Overexpression of EcHB1 induced significant modification in the mesophyll anatomy of Eucalyptus with enhancements in the number of cells and chloroplasts on a leaf-area basis. The leaf-area-based photosynthesis of Eucalyptus was improved in the EcHB1-overexpression lines, which was due to both enhanced CO2 diffusion into chloroplasts and increased photosynthetic biochemical functions through increased number of chloroplasts per unit leaf area. Additionally, overexpression of EcHB1 suppressed defoliation and thus improved the growth of Eucalyptus trees under drought stress, which was a result of reduced water loss from trees due to the reduction in leaf area with no changes in stomatal morphology. These results gave us new insights into the role of the HD-Zip II gene.


1975 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 253 ◽  
Author(s):  
HM Rawson ◽  
CL Craven

Changes in stomatal density and size were followed in tobacco and sunflower leaves expanding from 10% of final area (10% Amax) to Amax under different levels of radiation. Lower radiation increased final leaf area, reduced stomatal densities, and increased area per stoma but had little effect on stomatal area per unit leaf area at Amax. In very young leaves (20% Amax) there was a wide range in the sizes of individual stomata, some stomata being close to full size, but by Amax differences were small. The possible relationship between the developmental patterns described and photosynthesis is briefly discussed.


Weed Science ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 534-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald E. Jones ◽  
Robert H. Walker

Greenhouse and growth chamber experiments with potted plants were conducted to determine the effects of interspecific root and canopy interference, light intensity, and soil moisture on water uptake and biomass of soybean, common cocklebur, and sicklepod. Canopy interference and canopy plus root interference of soybean with common cocklebur increased soybean water uptake per plant and per unit leaf area. Root interference with soybean decreased common cocklebur water uptake per plant. Canopy interference of soybean with sicklepod increased soybean water uptake per unit leaf area, while root interference decreased uptake per plant. Combined root and canopy interference with soybean decreased water uptake per plant for sicklepod. Soybean leaf area and shoot weight were reduced by root interference with both weeds. Common cocklebur and sicklepod leaf area and shoot weight were reduced by root and canopy interference with soybeans. Only common cocklebur root weight decreased when canopies interfered and roots did not. The relationship between light intensity and water uptake per unit leaf area was linear in both years with water uptake proportional to light intensity. In 1991 water uptake response to tight was greater for common cocklebur than for sicklepod. The relationship between soil moisture level and water uptake was logarithmic. Common cocklebur water uptake was two times that of soybean or sicklepod at −2 kPa of pressure potential. In 1991 common cocklebur water uptake decreased at a greater rate than soybean or sicklepod in response to pressure potential changes from −2 to −100 kPa.


1992 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 171 ◽  
Author(s):  
FC Meinzer ◽  
NZ Saliendra ◽  
C Crisosto

Although carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) has been reported to decline in plants growing under reduced soil moisture, there is little information available concerning the dynamics of adjustments in Δ and gas exchange following a change in soil water availability. In this study Δ, photosynthetic gas exchange, and growth were monitored in container-grown coffee (Coffea arabica L.) plants for 120 days under three soil moisture regimes. At the end of 120 d, total leaf area of plants irrigated twice weekly was one half that of plants irrigated twice daily, although their assimilation rates on a unit leaf area basis were nearly equal throughout the experiment. This suggested that maintenance of nearly constant photosynthetic characteristics on a unit leaf area basis through maintenance of a smaller total leaf area may constitute a major mode of adjustment to reduced soil moisture availability in coffee. Intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUE) predicted from foliar Δ values was highest in plants irrigated weekly, intermediate in plants irrigated twice weekly and lowest in plants irrigated twice daily. When instantaneous WUE was estimated from independent measurements of total transpiration per plant and assimilation on a unit leaf area basis, the reverse ranking was obtained. The lack of correspondence between intrinsic and instantaneous WUE was attributed to adjustments in canopy morphology and leaf size in the plants grown under reduced water supply which enhanced transpiration relative to assimilation. Values of Δ predicted from the ratio of intercellular to ambient CO2 partial pressure determined during gas exchange measurements were not always consistent with measured foliar Δ. This may have resulted from a patchy distribution of stomatal apertures in plants irrigated weekly and from a lag period between adjustment in gas exchange and subsequent alteration in Δ of expanding leaves. The importance of considering temporal and spatial scales, and previous growth and environmental histories in comparing current single leaf gas exchange behaviour with foliar Δ values is discussed.


1988 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 107 ◽  
Author(s):  
WS Chow ◽  
L Qian ◽  
DJ Goodchild ◽  
JM Anderson

The photosynthetic acclimation of Alocasia macrorrhiza (L.) G. Don, a species naturally occurring in deep shade in rainforests, has been studied in relation to a wide range of controlled irradiances during growth (~3-780 �mol photons m-2 s-1 of fluorescent or incandescent light, 10 h light/ 14 h dark). At the maximum growth irradiances, the light- and CO2-saturated rates of O2 evolution per unit leaf area were ~4 times as high as at low irradiance, and approached those of glasshouse-grown spinach. Growth at maximum irradiances reduced the quantum yield of O2 evolution only slightly. Changes in the anatomy of leaf tissue, the ultrastructure of chloroplasts and the composition of chloroplast components accompanied the changes in photosynthetic functional characteristics. At low growth irradiance, palisade cell chloroplasts were preferentially located adjacent to the distal periclinal cell walls and had large granal stacks, and the destacked thylakoids had a very low surface charge density. In contrast, at higher growth irradiance, palisade cell chloroplasts were preferentially located adjacent to the anticlinal cell walls; they had small granal stacks, large stromal space, and a high surface charge density on the destacked thylakoids. The number of chloroplasts per unit section length increased with growth irradiance. Ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase activity per unit leaf area increased markedly with irradiance. Photosystem II, cytochrome f and latent ATPase activity per unit chlorophyll increased to a lesser extent. While the chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratio increased substantially with growth irradiance, the chlorophyll content per unit leaf area declined slightly. Our results show that coordinated changes in the structure of leaf tissue, and the organisation and composition of chloroplast components are responsible for Alocasia being capable of acclimation to high as well as low irradiance.


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