Differential requirement for NO during ABA-induced stomatal closure in turgid and wilted leaves

Abscisic acid (ABA)-induced stomatal closure is mediated by a complex, guard cell signalling network involving nitric oxide (NO) as a key intermediate. However, there is a lack of information concerning the role of NO in the ABA-enhanced stomatal closure seen in dehydrated plants. The data herein demonstrate that, while nitrate reductase (NR)1-mediated NO generation is required for the ABA-induced closure of stomata in turgid leaves, it is not required for ABA-enhanced stomatal closure under conditions leading to rapid dehydration. The results also show that NO signalling in the guard cells of turgid leaves requires the ABA-signalling pathway to be both capable of function and active. The alignment of this NO signalling with guard cell Ca²⁺-dependent/independent ABA signalling is discussed. The data also highlight a physiological role for NO signalling in turgid leaves and show that stomatal closure during the light-to-dark transition requires NR1-mediated NO generation and signalling.     

Isolation and characterization of variant wheat cultivars for ABA sensitivity

Genetic variants for abscisic acid (ABA) sensitivity are important for investigating the role of ABA sensitivity in conditioning plant response to environmental stress, and especially to those soil conditions that may elicit a root-mediated hormonal signal. This study was performed in order to isolate variation in ABA sensitivity among wheat (Triticum aestivum and T. durum) cultivars, as characterized by two plant responses: (i) shoot growth reduction in response to 5×10^?2mol m^?3 ABA (racemic) in the root medium of hydroponically grown plants, and (ii) changes in transpiration and gas exchange in a bioassay of detached leaves (leaflaminac) infused with 10^?4mol m^?3 ABA. Very significant (P≤0.01) and repeatable differences were found among 36 wheat cultivars and 19 landraces in the growth rate in ABA-containing nutrient solutions, expressed as a percentage of the growth rate in control nutrient solutions (ABA/control ratio). In duplicate experiments, the ABA/control ratio ranged between 60 and 83% for the least sensitive cultivars (V2151-3, Bethlehem, K1056 and Sunstar) and between 9 and 19% for the most sensitive cultivars (Sundor, Comet, Barkaec and V5). In the transpiration bioassay, performed with seven selected cultivars, it was found that the reductions in transpiration of ABA-infused leaves corresponded very well with the reductions in growth in response to ABA in the root media. Measurement of gas exchange in the detached leaves of two cultivars differing in ABA sensitivity (Bethlehem and Sundor) showed that variable ABA sensitivity was expressed very well in the stomatal conductance, carbon exchange rate (CER) and photosynthetic capacity (CER/C_i ratio) of the leaf. These results therefore allowed us to isolate wheat variants for ABA sensitivity and to conclude that, while ABA sensitivity is expressed in the growth of plants challenged by ABA in the root medium, the control of sensitivity resides, at least partly, in the leaf.     

The relation between stomatal aperture and gas exchange under consideration of pore geometry and diffusional resistance in the mesophyll

The quantitative relation between stomatal aperture and gas exchange through the stomatal pore can be described by physical models derived from Fick's first law of diffusion. Such models, usually based on a simplified pore geometry, are used to calculate leaf conductance from stomatal pore dimensions or vice versa. In this study a combination of gas-exchange measurements and simultaneous microscopical observations of stomatal apertures was used to empirically determine this relationship. The results show a substantial deviation between measured stomatal conductance and that calculated from the simplified models. The main difference is a much steeper increase of conductance with aperture at small apertures. When the calculation was based on a realistic pore geometry derived from confocal laser scanning microscopy, a good fit to the experimentally found relationship could be obtained if additionally a significant contribution of a mesophyll diffusional resistance was taken into account.     

Water use strategy affects avoidance of ozone stress by stomatal closure in Mediterranean trees—A modelling analysis

Both ozone (O₃) and drought can limit carbon fixation by forest trees. To cope with drought stress, plants have isohydric or anisohydric water use strategies. Ozone enters plant tissues through stomata. Therefore, stomatal closure can be interpreted as avoidance to O₃ stress. Here, we applied an optimization model of stomata involving water, CO₂, and O₃ flux to test whether isohydric and anisohydric strategies may affect avoidance of O₃ stress by stomatal closure in four Mediterranean tree species during drought. The data suggest that stomatal closure represents a response to avoid damage to the photosynthetic mechanisms under elevated O₃ depending on plant water use strategy. Under high-O₃ and well-watered conditions, isohydric species limited O₃ fluxes by stomatal closure, whereas anisohydric species activated a tolerance response and did not actively close stomata. Under both O₃ and drought stress, however, anisohydric species enhanced the capacity of avoidance by closing stomata to cope with the severe oxidative stress. In the late growing season, regardless of the water use strategy, the efficiency of O₃ stress avoidance decreased with leaf ageing. As a result, carbon assimilation rate was decreased by O₃ while stomata did not close enough to limit transpirational water losses.     

脱落酸对NaCl胁迫下马蔺幼苗生长、叶片气孔特征和光合性能的影响

目的】研究脱落酸（ABA）对重度盐胁迫下马蔺生长、叶片气孔特征和光合性能的影响,探究重度盐渍土下提高马蔺耐盐性的适宜ABA 浓度,为马蔺在重度盐渍土的栽培提供依据。【方法】以马蔺（耐盐种质ML004和敏盐种质ML035）幼苗为试验材料,利用150mmol?L-1NaCl溶液模拟重度盐胁迫环境,以不施加NaCl溶液和ABA处理为对照,研究脱落酸（0、1、2.5、5、10μmol?L-1）对NaCl胁迫下马蔺幼苗生长、气孔特征和光合性能的影响。【结果】150mmol?L-1NaCl胁迫下,两份马蔺种质幼苗叶片均表现出不同程度的盐害症状,且ML35号叶片的盐害症状较ML04号严重。喷施ABA溶液增加了两份种质材料的耐盐性,其中ABA溶液增强ML04号耐盐性的效果较好。喷施ABA溶液可显著增加马蔺的株高和生物量,可通过调整气孔形态及空间分布格局来优化气体交换过程,减小叶绿素含量的降低增强其光合作用等提高马蔺幼苗的耐盐性。【结论】150mmol?L-1NaCl 盐胁迫下ML35号的盐害反应比ML04号的盐害反应严重。喷施适宜浓度ABA可缓解盐胁迫对马蔺幼苗生长的影响,本次试验中2.5μmol?L-1ABA溶液喷施效果最佳,是提高马蔺耐盐性的一种有效方法。     

The role of peristomatal transpiration in the mechanism of stomatal movement

Abstract. Peristomatal transpiration is defined as the relative high local rate of cuticular water loss from external and internal surfaces around the stomatal pore and its decisive role in the control of stomatal movement is re-emphasized. As the resistance towards changes in air humidity is low in the pore surroundings, the state of turgor is particularly unsteady there. Due to the inherent instability the guard cell 'senses' fluctuations in the supply-demand relationship of water and is thus the control unit proper. The environmental variables (supply and demand) are cross-correlated within the subsidiary cell and the information is transmitted to the guard cell through the water potential gradient between the two cells. A conceptual segregation of a 'humidity response' by 'passive' stomatal movements is rejected.
As ions always accumulate at the most distant point of the liquid path and as this point varies with pore width according to the prevailing water potential gradients, it is felt that the water stream is causing the characteristic pattern of ion distribution within the epidermis. Passive import of ions is attributed to local concentration gradients which are steepened by continuous supply and by water uptake into the guard cell in response to starch hydrolysis. A mechanistic model supplements the discussion.     

Current advances in abscisic acid action and signalling

Abscisic acid (ABA) participates in the control of diverse physiological processes. The characterization of deficient mutants has clarified the ABA biosynthetic pathway in higher plants. Deficient mutants also lead to a revaluation of the extent of ABA action during seed development and in the response of vegetative tissues to environmental stress. Although ABA receptor(s) have not yet been identified, considerable progress has been recently made in the characterization of more downstream elements of the ABA regulatory network. ABA controls stomatal aperture by rapidly regulating identified ion transporters in guard cells, and the details of the underlying signalling pathways start to emerge. ABA actions in other cell types involve modifications of gene expression. The promoter analysis of ABA-responsive genes has revealed a diversity of cis-acting elements and a few associated trans-acting factors have been isolated. Finally, characterization of mutants defective in ABA responsiveness, and molecular cloning of the corresponding loci, has proven to be a powerful approach to dissect the molecular nature of ABA signalling cascades.     

烤烟旺长期气孔和非气孔限制对水分胁迫的反应

烤烟NC89、LJ851、LJ911在旺长期生长迅速,耗水量大。烟株生长的最适宜土壤相对含水量应保持在75%~85%,此土壤水分条件下的中午光合速率的下降是气孔限制所致。当土壤相对含水量低于75%,光合非气孔限制因素开始出现。当土壤相对含水量低于65%时,非气孔限制逐渐成为光合下降主导因子,并可能导致光合器官受到损伤。