scholarly journals A stomatal model of anatomical tradeoffs between gas exchange and pathogen colonization

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher D. Muir

ABSTRACTStomatal pores control both leaf gas exchange and are one route for infection of internal plant tissues by many foliar pathogens, setting up the potential for tradeoffs between photosynthesis and defense. Anatomical shifts to lower stomatal density and/or size may also limit pathogen colonization, but such developmental changes could permanently reduce the gas exchange capacity for the life of the leaf. I developed and analyzed a spatially explicit model of pathogen colonization on the leaf as a function of stomatal size and density, anatomical traits which partially determine maximum rates of gas exchange. The model predicts greater stomatal size or density increases the probability of colonization, but the effect is most pronounced when the fraction of leaf surface covered by stomata is low. I also derived scaling relationships between stomatal size and density that preserves a given probability of colonization. These scaling relationships set up a potential anatomical conflict between limiting pathogen colonization and minimizing the fraction of leaf surface covered by stomata. Although a connection between gas exchange and pathogen defense has been suggested empirically, this is the first mathematical model connecting gas exchange and pathogen defense via stomatal anatomy. A limitation of the model is that it does not include variation in innate immunity and stomatal closure in response to pathogens. Nevertheless, the model makes predictions that can be tested with experiments and may explain variation in stomatal anatomy among plants. The model is generalizable to many types of pathogens, but lacks significant biological realism that may be needed for precise predictions.

Author(s):  
Jun Tominaga ◽  
Joseph Stinziano ◽  
David T. Hanson

In leaf gas exchange measurements, cuticular conductance to water (g) is indistinguishable from and included in stomatal conductance to water vapor (g). Here we developed a simple technique to isolate g by directly measuring leaf intercellular CO concentration (C) along with gas exchange during photosynthetic light induction. We derived stomatal conductance to CO (g) from the C independently of g. Plotting g against g during the early induction phase within ~10 min, we found a highly linear relationship with a positive intercept. Assuming negligible cuticular CO transport, complete stomatal closure occurs when g=0. Then, we considered the residual g (i.e., intercept) as g. Indeed, these g estimates succeeded in correcting the calculation. Our technique, owing to its robustness and increased throughput, will allow for more rapid screening of crops, more reliable gas exchange analysis, and more accurate prediction of plant function under natural environmental conditions.


Paleobiology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taylor S. Feild ◽  
Garland R. Upchurch ◽  
David S. Chatelet ◽  
Timothy J. Brodribb ◽  
Kunsiri C. Grubbs ◽  
...  

The photosynthetic gas exchange capacities of early angiosperms remain enigmatic. Nevertheless, many hypotheses about the causes of early angiosperm success and how angiosperms influenced Mesozoic ecosystem function hinge on understanding the maximum capacity for early angiosperm metabolism. We applied structure-functional analyses of leaf veins and stomatal pore geometry to determine the hydraulic and diffusive gas exchange capacities of Early Cretaceous fossil leaves. All of the late Aptian—early Albian angiosperms measured possessed low vein density and low maximal stomatal pore area, indicating low leaf gas exchange capacities in comparison to modern ecologically dominant angiosperms. Gas exchange capacities for Early Cretaceous angiosperms were equivalent or lower than ferns and gymnosperms. Fossil leaf taxa from Aptian to Paleocene sediments previously identified as putative stem-lineages to Austrobaileyales and Chloranthales had the same gas exchange capacities and possibly leaf water relations of their living relatives. Our results provide fossil evidence for the hypothesis that high leaf gas exchange capacity is a derived feature of later angiosperm evolution. In addition, the leaf gas exchange functions of austrobaileyoid and chloranthoid fossils support the hypothesis that comparative research on the biology of living basal angiosperm lineages reveals genuine signals of Early Cretaceous angiosperm ecophysiology.


Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 859 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aziz Khan ◽  
Jie Zheng ◽  
Daniel Kean Yuen Tan ◽  
Ahmad Khan ◽  
Kashif Akhtar ◽  
...  

Manipulation of planting density and choice of variety are effective management components in any cropping system that aims to enhance the balance between environmental resource availability and crop requirements. One-time fertilization at first flower with a medium plant stand under late sowing has not yet been attempted. To fill this knowledge gap, changes in leaf structural (stomatal density, stomatal length, stomata width, stomatal pore perimeter, and leaf thickness), leaf gas exchange, and chlorophyll fluorescence attributes of different cotton varieties were made in order to change the planting densities to improve lint yield under a new planting model. A two-year field evaluation was carried out on cotton varieties—V1 (Zhongmian-16) and V2 (J-4B)—to examine the effect of changing the planting density (D1, low, 3 × 104; D2, moderate, 6 × 104; and D3, dense, 9 × 104) on cotton lint yield, leaf structure, chlorophyll fluorescence, and leaf gas exchange attribute responses. Across these varieties, J-4B had higher lint yield compared with Zhongmian-16 in both years. Plants at high density had depressed leaf structural traits, net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 uptake, quenching (qP), actual quantum yield of photosystem II (ΦPSII), and maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) in both years. Crops at moderate density had improved leaf gas exchange traits, stomatal density, number of stomata, pore perimeter, length, and width, as well as increased qP, ΦPSII, and Fv/Fm compared with low- and high-density plants. Improvement in leaf structural and functional traits contributed to 15.9%–10.7% and 12.3%–10.5% more boll m−2, with 20.6%–13.4% and 28.9%–24.1% higher lint yield averaged across both years, respectively, under moderate planting density compared with low and high density. In conclusion, the data underscore the importance of proper agronomic methods for cotton production, and that J-4B and Zhongmian-16 varieties, grown under moderate and lower densities, could be a promising option based on improved lint yield in subtropical regions.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wellington L Almeida ◽  
Rodrigo T Ávila ◽  
Junior P Pérez-Molina ◽  
Marcela L Barbosa ◽  
Dinorah M S Marçal ◽  
...  

Abstract The overall coordination between gas exchanges and plant hydraulics may be affected by soil water availability and source-to-sink relationships. Here we evaluated how branch growth and mortality, leaf gas exchange and metabolism are affected in coffee (Coffea arabica L.) trees by drought and fruiting. Field-grown plants were irrigated or not, and maintained with full or no fruit load. Under mild water deficit, irrigation per se did not significantly impact growth but markedly reduced branch mortality in fruiting trees, despite similar leaf assimilate pools and water status. Fruiting increased net photosynthetic rate in parallel with an enhanced stomatal conductance, particularly in irrigated plants. Mesophyll conductance and maximum RuBisCO carboxylation rate remained unchanged across treatments. The increased stomatal conductance in fruiting trees over nonfruiting ones was unrelated to internal CO2 concentration, foliar abscisic acid (ABA) levels or differential ABA sensitivity. However, stomatal conductance was associated with higher stomatal density, lower stomatal sensitivity to vapor pressure deficit, and higher leaf hydraulic conductance and capacitance. Increased leaf transpiration rate in fruiting trees was supported by coordinated alterations in plant hydraulics, which explained the maintenance of plant water status. Finally, by preventing branch mortality, irrigation can mitigate biennial production fluctuations and improve the sustainability of coffee plantations.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin A. Simonin ◽  
Adam B. Roddy

SummaryDuring the Cretaceous (145-66 Ma), early angiosperms rapidly diversified, eventually outcompeting the ferns and gymnosperms previously dominating most ecosystems. Heightened competitive abilities of angiosperms are often attributed to higher rates of transpiration facilitating faster growth. This hypothesis does not explain how angiosperms were able to develop leaves with smaller, but densely packed stomata and highly branched venation networks needed to support increased gas exchange rates. Although genome duplication and reorganization have likely facilitated angiosperm diversification, here we show that genome downsizing facilitated reductions in cell size necessary to construct leaves with a high density stomata and veins. Rapid genome downsizing during the early Cretaceous allowed angiosperms to push the frontiers of anatomical trait space. In contrast, during the same time period ferns and gymnosperms exhibited no such changes in genome size, stomatal size, or vein density. Further reinforcing the effect of genome downsizing on increased gas exchange rates, we found that species employing water-loss limiting crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis, have significantly larger genomes than C3 and C4 species. By directly affecting cell size and gas exchange capacity, genome downsizing brought actual primary productivity closer to its maximum potential. These results suggest species with small genomes, exhibiting a larger range of final cell size, can more finely tune their leaf physiology to environmental conditions and inhabit a broader range of habitats.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karla Gasparini ◽  
Ana Carolina R. Souto ◽  
Mateus F. da Silva ◽  
Lucas C. Costa ◽  
Cássia Regina Fernandes Figueiredo ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBackground and aimsTrichomes are epidermal structures with an enormous variety of ecological functions and economic applications. Glandular trichomes produce a rich repertoire of secondary metabolites, whereas non-glandular trichomes create a physical barrier against biotic and abiotic stressors. Intense research is underway to understand trichome development and function and enable breeding of more resilient crops. However, little is known on how enhanced trichome density would impinge on leaf photosynthesis, gas exchange and energy balance.MethodsPrevious work has compared multiple species differing in trichome density, instead here we analyzed monogenic trichome mutants in a single tomato genetic background (cv. Micro-Tom). We determined growth parameters, leaf spectral properties, gas exchange and leaf temperature in the hairs absent (h), Lanata (Ln) and Woolly (Wo) trichome mutants.Key resultsShoot dry mass, leaf area, leaf spectral properties and cuticular conductance were not affected by the mutations. However, the Ln mutant showed increased carbon assimilation (A) possibly associated with higher stomatal conductance (gs), since there were no differences in stomatal density or stomatal index between genotypes. Leaf temperature was furthermore reduced in Ln in the early hours of the afternoon.ConclusionsWe show that a single monogenic mutation can increase glandular trichome density, a desirable trait for crop breeding, whilst concomitantly improving leaf gas exchange and reducing leaf temperature.HIGHLIGHTA monogenic mutation in tomato increases trichome density and optimizes gas exchange and leaf temperature


Botany ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-32
Author(s):  
Gabriele Marques Leme ◽  
Flavio Nunes Ramos ◽  
Fabricio José Pereira ◽  
Marcelo Polo

We investigated morpho-physiological plasticity in the leaves of Ocotea odorifera trees growing under different environmental conditions in a fragmented forest. Microclimatic data were collected in a pasture matrix, forest edge, and forest interior in three Atlantic Forest fragments. Leaf gas exchange, as well as leaf anatomy in paradermal and transversal sections, were evaluated in individuals in these environments. Radiation intensity and temperature had higher effects in the pasture matrix compared with the forest interior and forest edge. However, internal portions of the canopy did not exhibit significant variation in radiation or temperature. External canopy leaves exhibited higher net photosynthesis in plants from the pasture matrix, but there was higher net photosynthesis for internal leaves from the shaded forest interior. Variation in net photosynthesis and other gas-exchange parameters were related to thinner shade leaves in forest interior individuals, and internal leaves with lower stomatal density. Although the pasture matrix, forest edge, and forest interior experienced differences in light and temperature, leaf position in the canopy produced microclimatic variations, which modified gas exchange and anatomy. Thus, O. odorifera shows the potential for reforestation programs because of its high leaf plasticity, which will enable it to overcome variations in light and temperature.


2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (12) ◽  
pp. 1377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina Siebke ◽  
Oula Ghannoum ◽  
Jann P. Conroy ◽  
Susanne von Caemmerer

This study investigates the effect of elevated CO2 partial pressure (pCO2)-induced stomatal closure on leaf temperature and gas exchange of C4 grasses. Two native Australian C4 grasses, Astrebla lappacea (Lindl.) Domin and Bothriochloa bladhii Kuntze, were grown at three different pCO2 (35, 70 and 120 Pa) in three matched, temperature-controlled glasshouse compartments. The difference between leaf and air temperature (ΔT) was monitored diurnally with thermocouples. ΔT increased with both step-increases of ambient pCO2. Average noon leaf temperature increased by 0.4 and 0.3°C for A. lappacea with the 35–70 and 70–120 Pa steps of pCO2 elevation, respectively. For B. bladhii, the increases were 0.5°C for both pCO2 steps. ΔT was strongly dependent on irradiance, pCO2 and air humidity. Leaf gas exchange was measured at constant temperature and high irradiance at the three growth pCO2. Under these conditions, CO2 assimilation saturated at 70 Pa, while stomatal conductance decreased by the same extent (0.58-fold) with both step-increases in pCO2, suggesting that whole-plant water use efficiency of C4 grasses would increase beyond a doubling of ambient pCO2. The ratio of intercellular to ambient pCO2 was not affected by short- or long-term doubling or near-tripling of pCO2, in either C4 species when measured under standard conditions.


2010 ◽  
Vol 113-116 ◽  
pp. 14-17
Author(s):  
Meng Hu ◽  
Shao Zhong Kang ◽  
Tai Sheng Du ◽  
Ling Tong

A reflection function was established, based on leaf gas exchange process and tested with experimental data of eight kinds of plants, i.e. tomato, muskmelon, capsicum, maize, grape, onion, Haloxylon Ammodendron Bunge and Caragana Karshiskii Kom, with multifarious biological characteristic, water and growing status. The function indicated that the leaf stomatal conductance could be linearly reflected by the ratio of humidity and CO2 concentration at leaf surface, and the behaviour of its slope could be recognized as an indicator of leaf gas exchange efficiency, which had a negative relationship with leaf water use efficiency (WUE). The results maybe increase our understanding of potential influences of leaf stomatal conductance on photosynthetic and transpiration gas exchange and leaf WUE.


1984 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mabrouk A. El-Sharkawy ◽  
James H. Cock ◽  
Giovanna de Cadena

SUMMARYCassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) has generally been reported to possess hypostomatal leaves. Several cultivars have now been found to possess clusters of functional stomata around the veins on the upper leaf surface and two cultivars (M Col 88 and M Col 90) have significant numbers of stomata (83–140 mm−2) dispersed over the entire upper leaf surface. Stomatal density on the lower leaf surface ranged from 322–553 mm−2 among cultivars, with a relative stomatal area of 3.4–6.1%. The CO2 uptake by the upper leaf surface (27% of total) and the transpiration loss (32% of total) corresponded closely to the ratio of relative stomatal areas on the upper and lower leaf surface of cv. M Col 88.


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