Nanotubules on plant surfaces: Chemical composition of epicuticular wax crystals on needles of Taxus baccata L.

2006 ◽  
Vol 67 (16) ◽  
pp. 1808-1817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miao Wen ◽  
Christopher Buschhaus ◽  
Reinhard Jetter
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Epicuticular Wax ◽  
Taxus Baccata ◽  
Epicuticular Wax Crystals ◽  
Plant Surfaces ◽  
Wax Crystals

scholarly journals Impact of cell shape in hierarchically structured plant surfaces on the attachment of male Colorado potato beetles (Leptinotarsa decemlineata)

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 57-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bettina Prüm ◽  
Robin Seidel ◽  
Holger Florian Bohn ◽  
Thomas Speck
Keyword(s):  
Cell Shape ◽  
Traction Force ◽  
Epicuticular Wax ◽  
Epidermal Cells ◽  
Epicuticular Wax Crystals ◽  
Cell Shapes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Plant Surfaces ◽  
Wax Crystals ◽  
Insect Attachment

Plant surfaces showing hierarchical structuring are frequently found in plant organs such as leaves, petals, fruits and stems. In our study we focus on the level of cell shape and on the level of superimposed microstructuring, leading to hierarchical surfaces if both levels are present. While it has been shown that epicuticular wax crystals and cuticular folds strongly reduce insect attachment, and that smooth papillate epidermal cells in petals improve the grip of pollinators, the impact of hierarchical surface structuring of plant surfaces possessing convex or papillate cells on insect attachment remains unclear. We performed traction experiments with male Colorado potato beetles on nine different plant surfaces with different structures. The selected plant surfaces showed epidermal cells with either tabular, convex or papillate cell shape, covered either with flat films of wax, epicuticular wax crystals or with cuticular folds. On surfaces possessing either superimposed wax crystals or cuticular folds we found traction forces to be almost one order of magnitude lower than on surfaces covered only with flat films of wax. Independent of superimposed microstructures we found that convex and papillate epidermal cell shapes slightly enhance the attachment ability of the beetles. Thus, in plant surfaces, cell shape and superimposed microstructuring yield contrary effects on the attachment of the Colorado potato beetle, with convex or papillate cells enhancing attachment and both wax crystals or cuticular folds reducing attachment. However, the overall magnitude of traction force mainly depends on the presence or absence of superimposed microstructuring.

Chemical composition of epicuticular wax crystals on the slippery zone in pitchers of five Nepenthes species and hybrids

Planta ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 225 (6) ◽  
pp. 1517-1534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Riedel ◽  
Anna Eichner ◽  
Harald Meimberg ◽  
Reinhard Jetter
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Epicuticular Wax ◽  
Epicuticular Wax Crystals ◽  
Wax Crystals

Comparative study on epicuticular leaf waxes of Araucaria araucana, Agathis robusta and Wollemia nobilis (Araucariaceae)

2008 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
pp. 644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Dragota ◽  
Markus Riederer
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Comparative Study ◽  
Chemical Compositions ◽  
Cuticular Waxes ◽  
Leaf Waxes ◽  
Leaf Surfaces ◽  
Epicuticular Wax Crystals ◽  
Araucaria Araucana ◽  
Main Components ◽  
Wax Crystals

The present study describes fine structure and chemical composition of the epicuticular leaf waxes of three Araucariaceae species. The leaf surfaces of samples from greenhouse-grown juvenile trees of Araucaria araucana K.Koch and Agathis robusta F.Muell. were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and compared with data for a young greenhouse-grown Wollemia nobilis W.G.Jones, K.D.Hill & J.M.Allen cutting characterised earlier. The chemical compositions of the epicuticular waxes selectively removed from the adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces of A. araucana, A. robusta and W. nobilis were studied by gas chromatography combined with mass spectroscopy (GC–MS). The main components of the leaf cuticular waxes of A. araucana, A. robusta and W. nobilis are members of the following three major compound classes: n-alkanes, secondary alcohols and alkane diols. It was shown earlier that the latter two classes contribute to the formation of the tubular epicuticular-wax crystals on the leaf surfaces. The present comparative study also revealed differences in the crystalline microstructure and chemical composition of the epicuticular leaf waxes among the three species.

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