scholarly journals Why are tropical conifers disadvantaged in fertile soils? Comparison of Podocarpus guatemalensis with an angiosperm pioneer, Ficus insipida

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 810-821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana C Palma ◽  
Klaus Winter ◽  
Jorge Aranda ◽  
James W Dalling ◽  
Alexander W Cheesman ◽  
...  

Abstract Conifers are, for the most part, competitively excluded from tropical rainforests by angiosperms. Where they do occur, conifers often occupy sites that are relatively infertile. To gain insight into the physiological mechanisms by which angiosperms outcompete conifers in more productive sites, we grew seedlings of a tropical conifer (Podocarpus guatemalensis Standley) and an angiosperm pioneer (Ficus insipida Willd.) with and without added nutrients, supplied in the form of a slow-release fertilizer. At the conclusion of the experiment, the dry mass of P. guatemalensis seedlings in fertilized soil was approximately twofold larger than that of seedlings in unfertilized soil; on the other hand, the dry mass of F. insipida seedlings in fertilized soil was ~20-fold larger than seedlings in unfertilized soil. The higher relative growth rate of F. insipida was associated with a larger leaf area ratio and a higher photosynthetic rate per unit leaf area. Higher overall photosynthetic rates in F. insipida were associated with an approximately fivefold larger stomatal conductance than in P. guatemalensis. We surmise that a higher whole-plant hydraulic conductance in the vessel bearing angiosperm F. insipida enabled higher leaf area ratio and higher stomatal conductance per unit leaf area than in the tracheid bearing P. guatemalensis, which enabled F. insipida to capitalize on increased photosynthetic capacity driven by higher nitrogen availability in fertilized soil.

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (9) ◽  
pp. 1231-1235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianhua Zhang

Previous studies showed that the two seed morphs produced from the upper and lower fruit segments of Cakile edentula differed significantly in their germinability and carry-over effects on the growth of the subsequent plants. By partitioning variables into seed-morph and seed-mass components, this study suggests that both seed germination and the growth of the subsequent plants depend on seed mass rather than seed morph. Plants from large seeds generally had greater leaf area, shoot to root ratio, biomass, and smaller leaf area ratio than those from small seeds. Within the same seed-mass class, plants from the lower fruit segment showed greater shoot to root ratio only at the end of the experiment. Since specific leaf area, leaf area ratio, and shoot to root ratio depended significantly on plant dry mass, the effect of seed mass on these variables may be actually achieved indirectly through the influence on plant size. Key words: seed dimorphism, seed mass, maternal effect, germination, growth, Cakile edentula.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 113
Author(s):  
Eli Carlos de Oliveira ◽  
Luiz Henrique Campos de Almeida ◽  
Claudemir Zucareli ◽  
Teresa Losada Valle ◽  
José Roberto Pinto de Souza ◽  
...  

Vegetative canopy architecture, and plant population density, has a direct influence on the growth and production of crops. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth of four cassava cultivars of contrasting canopies, in four population densities, during two vegetative cycles. A randomized complete block design was used in a subdivided plot scheme, with two replications, with the population densities in the plots and harvesting times in the subplots. ‘Branca de Santa Catarina’ (BSC), ‘IAC 13’, ‘IAC 14-18’ and ‘Fibra’ were collected every four months, beginning at 120 and ending at 720 days after planting (DAP). Primary data on dry matter and leaf area were calculated. The total dry mass (Wt), leaf area ratio (La), leaf area index (L), relative growth rate (Rw), and net assimilation rate (Ea) were calculated based on the primary data. All cultivars accumulated more total dry mass (Wt) at lower planting densities. The plants reached a higher leaf area ratio (La) 120 days after planting. In the second vegetative cycle, the four cultivars, independently of the population, presented a reduction of assimilate translocation to the leaves. Relative growth rate (Rw) of the cultivars varied strongly with the plant population only in the second cycle. ‘IAC 14-18’ showed greater dependence on spacing, and ‘Fibra’ less dependence. Growth (Rw) and assimilatory (Ea) rates decreased at the end of the first cycle, then increased slowly until the end of the second cycle of vegetation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 963-970 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARA SUYANE MARQUES DANTAS ◽  
MARIO MONTEIRO ROLIM ◽  
ELVIRA MARIA REGIS PEDROSA ◽  
MANASSÉS MESQUITA DA SILVA ◽  
DANIEL DA COSTA DANTAS

ABSTRACT Cassava wastewater is the liquid residue of the cassava flour processing and its application to the soil as fertilizer for agricultural crops is a good alternative to sources of nutrients for plants. In this context, the objective of this work was to evaluate the growth and seed yield of sunflower on soil fertilized with cassava wastewater. A randomized block experimental design with four replications was used, with six cassava wastewater rates (0, 8.5, 17, 34, 68 and 136 m3 ha-1) and six plant sampling times (15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 days after sowing), using the sunflower cultivar Helio-250. The evaluated variables were total leaf area, leaf area index, leaf area ratio, specific leaf area, leaf weight ratio, shoot dry mass and sunflower seed yield. The use of cassava wastewater rate of 136 m3 ha-1 increases the seed yield, leaf area, leaf area index and shoot dry mass, and results in lower leaf area ratio, specific leaf area and leaf weight ratio of sunflower (cv. Helio-250) crops.


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.


1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-134
Author(s):  
Daniel K. Struve ◽  
W. Timothy Rhodus

The basal 1 cm of taproot of dormant bareroot 1-0 red oak (Quercusrubra L.) seedlings were given a 3-s dip in 20, 40, or 80 mM concentrations of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), phenyl indole-3-thiolobutyrate (P-ITB), or equal parts IBA and P-ITB at 20 or 40 mM concentrations. Sixty control seedlings were dipped in 95% ethanol, while 30 seedlings were used for each auxin treatment. Seedlings were potted on May 12, 1986, and grown outdoors. At the end of the 104-day study period, all concentrations of IBA and P-ITB significantly increased number of roots regenerated (from 5.3 with 20 mM IBA to 11.9 for 80 mM IBA) compared with control seedlings. However, P-ITB-treated seedlings produced significantly more leaves (20–24) and leaf area (320–472 cm2), and up to 10 g more dry weight than IBA and non-auxin-treated seedlings. P-ITB treated seedlings had higher relative growth and net assimilation rates and lower leaf area ratio than IBA-treated or control seedlings. Seedlings treated with 20 mM of equal parts IBA and P-ITB were similar to P-ITB-treated seedlings while seedlings treated with the 40 mM IBA and P-ITB combination were similar to IBA-treated seedlings.


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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