Co-ordination of vapour and liquid phase water transport properties in plants

The pathway for water movement from the soil through plants to the atmosphere can be represented by a series of liquid and vapour phase resistances. Stomatal regulation of vapour phase resistance balances transpiration with the efficiency of water supply to the leaves, avoiding leaf desiccation at one extreme, and unnecessary restriction of carbon dioxide uptake at the other. In addition to maintaining a long-term balance between vapour and liquid phase water transport resistances in plants, stomata are exquisitely sensitive to short-term, dynamic perturbations of liquid water transport. In balancing vapour and liquid phase water transport, stomata do not seem to distinguish among potential sources of variation in the apparent efficiency of delivery of water per guard cell complex. Therefore, an apparent soil-to-leaf hydraulic conductance based on relationships between liquid water fluxes and driving forces in situ seems to be the most versatile for interpretation of stomatal regulatory behaviour that achieves relative homeostasis of leaf water status in intact plants. Components of dynamic variation in apparent hydraulic conductance in intact plants include, exchange of water between the transpiration stream and internal storage compartments via capacitive discharge and recharge, cavitation and its reversal, temperature-induced changes in the viscosity of water, direct effects of xylem sap composition on xylem hydraulic properties, and endogenous and environmentally induced variation in the activity of membrane water channels in the hydraulic pathway. Stomatal responses to humidity must also be considered in interpreting co-ordination of vapour and liquid phase water transport because homeostasis of bulk leaf water status can only be achieved through regulation of the actual transpirational flux. Results of studies conducted with multiple species point to considerable convergence with regard to co-ordination of stomatal and hydraulic properties. Because stomata apparently sense and respond to integrated and dynamic soil-to-leaf water transport properties, studies involving intact plants under both natural and controlled conditions are likely to yield the most useful new insights concerning stomatal co-ordination of transpiration with soil and plant hydraulic properties.     

Plasticity in maximum stomatal conductance constrained by negative correlation between stomatal size and density: an analysis using Eucalyptus globulus

Maximum stomatal conductance to water vapour and CO₂ ( g _wmax, g _cmax, respectively), which are set at the time of leaf maturity, are determined predominantly by stomatal size ( S ) and density ( D ). In theory, many combinations of S and D yield the same g _wmax and g _cmax, so there is no inherent correlation between S and D , or between S , D and maximum stomatal conductance. However, using basic equations for gas diffusion through stomata of different sizes, we show that a negative correlation between S and D offers several advantages, including plasticity in g _wmax and g _cmax with minimal change in epidermal area allocation to stomata. Examination of the relationship between S and D in Eucalyptus globulus seedlings and coppice shoots growing in the field under high and low rainfall revealed a strong negative relationship between S and D , whereby S decreased with increasing D according to a negative power function. The results provide evidence that plasticity in maximum stomatal conductance may be constrained by a negative S versus D relationship, with higher maximum stomatal conductance characterized by smaller S and higher D , and a tendency to minimize change in epidermal space allocation to stomata as S and D vary.     

Stomatal action directly feeds back on leaf turgor: new insights into the regulation of the plant water status from non‐invasive pressure probe measurements

Uptake of CO₂ by the leaf is associated with loss of water. Control of stomatal aperture by volume changes of guard cell pairs optimizes the efficiency of water use. Under water stress, the protein kinase OPEN STOMATA 1 (OST1) activates the guard‐cell anion release channel SLOW ANION CHANNEL‐ASSOCIATED 1 (SLAC1), and thereby triggers stomatal closure. Plants with mutated OST1 and SLAC1 are defective in guard‐cell turgor regulation. To study the effect of stomatal movement on leaf turgor using intact leaves of Arabidopsis, we used a new pressure probe to monitor transpiration and turgor pressure simultaneously and non‐invasively. This probe permits routine easy access to parameters related to water status and stomatal conductance under physiological conditions using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Long‐term leaf turgor pressure recordings over several weeks showed a drop in turgor during the day and recovery at night. Thus pressure changes directly correlated with the degree of plant transpiration. Leaf turgor of wild‐type plants responded to CO₂, light, humidity, ozone and abscisic acid (ABA) in a guard cell‐specific manner. Pressure probe measurements of mutants lacking OST1 and SLAC1 function indicated impairment in stomatal responses to light and humidity. In contrast to wild‐type plants, leaves from well‐watered ost1 plants exposed to a dry atmosphere wilted after light‐induced stomatal opening. Experiments with open stomata mutants indicated that the hydraulic conductance of leaf stomata is higher than that of the root–shoot continuum. Thus leaf turgor appears to rely to a large extent on the anion channel activity of autonomously regulated stomatal guard cells.     

弱光下生长的葡萄叶片蒸腾速率和气孔结构的变化

 植物能够对生长环境产生生态适应性,这种适应性可从气孔导度、光合速率、水分利用效率等生态指标上反映出来。为了研究葡萄蒸腾特性对弱光环境的适应性变化,本试验以‘京玉’葡萄幼苗（Vitis vinefera cv. Jingyu）为试验材料,通过遮光处理（2个处理,分别遮光65%和85%）营造弱光环境,测定了在弱光环境下生长的葡萄叶片蒸腾速率、气孔导度、水分利用效率对光照强度的响应,同时用扫描电镜技术观察了气孔的发育。结果表明,弱光环境下生长的葡萄幼苗,叶片的水势较高,但水分利用效率较低,叶片蒸腾速率和气孔导度变化对光照强度的响应缓慢,而自然光下生长的葡萄叶片则反应较迅速。通过对气孔结构的研究发现,与自然光照环境下生长的植株相比,在弱光环境下生长的葡萄幼苗,叶片下表皮的气孔横轴变宽,大小气孔之间差异减少,气孔外突,表皮细胞变大甚至扭曲,角质层变薄。说明葡萄幼苗能够对弱光环境产生适应性变化,其蒸腾特性的变化与其气孔结构的变化相关,具有一致性。     

Acclimation to humidity modifies the link between leaf size and the density of veins and stomata

The coordination of veins and stomata during leaf acclimation to sun and shade can be facilitated by differential epidermal cell expansion so large leaves with low vein and stomatal densities grow in shade, effectively balancing liquid‐ and vapour‐phase conductances. As the difference in vapour pressure between leaf and atmosphere (VPD) determines transpiration at any given stomatal density, we predict that plants grown under high VPD will modify the balance between veins and stomata to accommodate greater maximum transpiration. Thus, we examined the developmental responses of these traits to contrasting VPD in a woody angiosperm (Toona ciliata M. Roem.) and tested whether the relationship between them was altered. High VPD leaves were one‐third the size of low VPD leaves with only marginally greater vein and stomatal density. Transpirational homeostasis was thus maintained by reducing stomatal conductance. VPD acclimation changed leaf size by modifying cell number. Hence, plasticity in vein and stomatal density appears to be generated by plasticity in cell size rather than cell number. Thus, VPD affects cell number and leaf size without changing the relationship between liquid‐ and vapour‐phase conductances. This results in inefficient acclimation to VPD as stomata remain partially closed under high VPD.     

Diurnal courses and factorial dependencies of leaf conductance and transpiration of differently potassium fertilized and watered field grown barley plants

During the grain filling period we followed diurnal courses in leaf water potential (ψ₁), leaf osmotic potential (ψ_π), transpiration (E), leaf conductance to water vapour transfer (g) and microclimatic parameters in field-grown spring barley (Hordeum distichum L. cv. Gunnar). The barley crop was grown on a coarse textured sandy soil at low (50 kg ha⁻¹) or high (200 kg ha⁻¹) levels of potassium applied as KCl. The investigation was undertaken at full irrigation or under drought. Drought was imposed at the beginning of the grain filling period. Leaf conductance and rate of transpiration were higher in the flag leaf than in the leaves of lower insertion. The rate of transpiration of the awns on a dry weight basis was of similar magnitude to that of the flag leaves. On clear days the rate of transpiration of fully watered barley plants was at a high level during most part of the day. The transpiration only decreased at low light intensities. The rate of transpiration was high despite leaf water potentials falling to rather low values due to high evaporative demands. In water stressed plants transpiration decreased and midday depression of transpiration occurred. Normally, daily accumulated transpirational water loss was lower in high K leaves than in low K leaves and generally the bulk water relations of the leaves were more favourable in high K plants than in low K plants. The factorial dependency of the flag leaf conductances on leaf water potential, light intensity, leaf temperature, and leaf-to-air water vapour concentration difference (ΔW) was analysed from a set of field data. From these data, similar sets of microclimatic conditions were classified, and dependencies of leaf conductance on the various environmental parameters were ascertained. The resulting mathematical functions were combined in an empirical simulation model. The results of the model were tested against other sets of measured data. Deviations between measured and predicted leaf conductance occurred at low light intensities. In the flag leaf, water potentials below-1.6 MPa reduced the stomatal apertures and determined the upper limit of leaf conductance. In leaves of lower insertion level conductances were reduced already at higher leaf water potentials. Leaf conductance was increased hyperbolically as photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) increased from darkness to full light. Leaf conductance as a function of leaf temperature followed an optimum curve which in the model was replaced by two linear regression lines intersecting at the optimum temperature of 23.4°C. Increasing leaf-to-air water vapour concentration difference caused a linear decrease in leaf conductance. Leaf conductances became slightly more reduced by lowered water potentials in the low K plants. Stomatal closure in response to a temperature change away from the optimum was more sensitive in high K plants, and also the decrease in leaf conductance under the influence of lowered ambient humidity proceeded with a higher sensitivity in high K plants. Thus, under conditions which favoured high conductances increase of evaporative demand caused an about 10% larger decrease in leaf conductance in the high K plants than in the low K plants. Stomatal sizes and density in the flag leaves differed between low and high K plants. In plants with partially open stomata, leaf conductance, calculated from stomatal pore dimensions, was up to 10% lower in the high K plants than in the low K plants. A similar reduction in leaf conductance in high K plants was measured porometrically. It was concluded that the beneficial effect of K supply on water use efficiency reported in former studies primarily resulted from altered stomatal sizes and densities.     

Stomatal response to vapour pressure deficit and the effect of plant water stress

Abstract The dynamic response of stomata to changes in atmospheric humidity was investigated in Fragaria × ananassa Duch., Picea engelmannii Parry, and Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco; and the effect of water stress on this response was determined in Pseudotsuga menziesii. The plants were rotated through three regimes of ambient temperature and vapour pressure deficit: 35°C–3. 5kPa, 35°C–0. 5 kPa, and 20°C–1. 5kPa. Branch and leaflet conductance were measured with a steady-state porometer, first at ambient vapour pressure deficit and then at one of four treatment conditions achieved by increasing or decreasing vapour pressure within the porometer cuvette. All three species showed similar stomatal response: enhanced conductance at low vapour pressure deficit and depressed conductance at high vapour pressure deficit. Engelmann spruce was more sensitive than Douglas fir and strawberry. Plant water status significantly altered stomatal response to vapour pressure deficit. The relationship of conductance of xylem water potential was linear under ambient conditions but became curvilinear when conductance was measured above and below ambient vapour pressure deficit. Between ?0. 5 MPa and ?2. 0 MPa xylem water potential, the stomata were sensitive to vapour pressure deficit, but below ? 2. 0 MPa, the sensitivity decreased.     

Stomatal characteristics of ferns and angiosperms and their responses to changing light intensity at different habitats

气孔是植物与大气环境进行气体交换的重要通道, 在调控植物碳水平衡方面发挥着重要作用。为探讨生境和植物类型对气孔形态特征的影响以及气孔对光强变化的响应格局在不同植物间和不同生境条件下的变异, 选取开阔生境和林下生境的5种蕨类植物和4种被子植物, 测定了它们的气孔形态特征和气孔导度对光强变化的响应。此外, 还收集了8篇文献中开阔和林下生境的45种蕨类植物和70种被子植物的气孔密度和气孔长度数据, 以增大样本量从而更好地探讨不同生境条件下蕨类和被子植物气孔密度及长度的变异格局, 并通过分析生境和植物类型对气孔形态特征的影响来推测生境和植物类型对气孔响应行为的可能影响。实验结果表明, 与林下植物相比, 开阔环境下的植物气孔密度更大, 气孔长度更小, 气孔对光强降低的响应更敏感; 但植物类型对气孔形态特征的影响以及对气孔响应光强的敏感程度的影响均不显著。对文献数据的分析表明, 生境和植物类型对气孔形态特征均有显著影响。考虑到气孔响应快慢与气孔形态特征密切相关, 与蕨类植物相比, 被子植物小而密的气孔可能为其更快地响应环境变化提供了基础。研究表明生境和植物类型对气孔响应行为均有显著影响。     

不同生境条件下蕨类和被子植物的气孔形态特征及其对光强变化的响应

气孔是植物与大气环境进行气体交换的重要通道, 在调控植物碳水平衡方面发挥着重要作用。为探讨生境和植物类型对气孔形态特征的影响以及气孔对光强变化的响应格局在不同植物间和不同生境条件下的变异, 选取开阔生境和林下生境的5种蕨类植物和4种被子植物, 测定了它们的气孔形态特征和气孔导度对光强变化的响应。此外, 还收集了8篇文献中开阔和林下生境的45种蕨类植物和70种被子植物的气孔密度和气孔长度数据, 以增大样本量从而更好地探讨不同生境条件下蕨类和被子植物气孔密度及长度的变异格局, 并通过分析生境和植物类型对气孔形态特征的影响来推测生境和植物类型对气孔响应行为的可能影响。实验结果表明, 与林下植物相比, 开阔环境下的植物气孔密度更大, 气孔长度更小, 气孔对光强降低的响应更敏感; 但植物类型对气孔形态特征的影响以及对气孔响应光强的敏感程度的影响均不显著。对文献数据的分析表明, 生境和植物类型对气孔形态特征均有显著影响。考虑到气孔响应快慢与气孔形态特征密切相关, 与蕨类植物相比, 被子植物小而密的气孔可能为其更快地响应环境变化提供了基础。研究表明生境和植物类型对气孔响应行为均有显著影响。     

Nocturnal and daytime stomatal conductance respond to root-zone temperature in ‘Shiraz’ grapevines

Background and Aims

Daytime root-zone temperature may be a significant factor regulating water flux through plants. Water flux can also occur during the night but nocturnal stomatal response to environmental drivers such as root-zone temperature remains largely unknown.

Methods

Here nocturnal and daytime leaf gas exchange was quantified in ‘Shiraz’ grapevines (Vitis vinifera) exposed to three root-zone temperatures from budburst to fruit-set, for a total of 8 weeks in spring.

Key Results

Despite lower stomatal density, night-time stomatal conductance and transpiration rates were greater for plants grown in warm root-zones. Elevated root-zone temperature resulted in higher daytime stomatal conductance, transpiration and net assimilation rates across a range of leaf-to-air vapour pressure deficits, air temperatures and light levels. Intrinsic water-use efficiency was, however, lowest in those plants with warm root-zones. CO₂ response curves of foliar gas exchange indicated that the maximum rate of electron transport and the maximum rate of Rubisco activity did not differ between the root-zone treatments, and therefore it was likely that the lower photosynthesis in cool root-zones was predominantly the result of a stomatal limitation. One week after discontinuation of the temperature treatments, gas exchange was similar between the plants, indicating a reversible physiological response to soil temperature.

Conclusions

In this anisohydric grapevine variety both night-time and daytime stomatal conductance were responsive to root-zone temperature. Because nocturnal transpiration has implications for overall plant water status, predictive climate change models using stomatal conductance will need to factor in this root-zone variable.     

北京山区油松和元宝槭冠层气孔导度特征及其环境响应

叶片气孔是植物进行水汽交换的通道, 影响着植物的蒸腾和光合作用。然而叶片气孔行为受环境条件和树种类型的影响, 不同树种冠层气孔导度对环境因子响应的差异性, 以及在生长季不同时期叶片气孔对冠层蒸腾的调节作用是否会发生改变, 仍不清楚。该研究目的是通过探究各环境因子对不同树种冠层气孔导度的相对贡献率以及叶片气孔对冠层蒸腾的调节作用, 为深入了解植物水分利用状况和山区森林经营提供参考依据。于2018年生长季以北京八达岭国家森林公园内的58年生油松(Pinus tabuliformis)和39年生元宝槭(Acer truncatum)为研究对象, 利用热扩散技术对其树干液流进行连续监测, 并同步监测环境因子。利用彭曼公式计算冠层气孔导度(G_s)。主要结果: (1)油松和元宝槭日间G_s在日、月时间尺度上存在明显差异。5-7月油松和元宝槭日动态G_s均随饱和水汽压差(VPD)和太阳辐射(GR)的增加呈上升趋势, 上升持续时间比8月和9月长; 在月尺度上, 随着VPD、GR的降低和土壤湿度(VWC)的升高, G_s从5月到9月整体上升。(2)利用增强回归树法分析得到VWC和VPD对G_s的贡献率最大, 其次是GR、气温和风速。VWC和VPD对油松G_s的贡献率分别为66.4%和17.4%, 对元宝槭G_s的贡献率分别为54.8%和21.0%。(3)油松和元宝槭的dG_s/dlnVPD值与参考冠层气孔导度之间的斜率均显著高于0.6, 气孔调节作用相对较强。综上所述, 气孔对环境因子的响应在树种以及生长季不同时期之间存在差异, 为防止水分过度散失, 两树种在不同土壤水分条件下均通过严格的气孔调节控制蒸腾量。     

Stomatal conductance of lettuce grown under or exposed to different light qualities

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The objective of this research was to examine the effects of differences in light spectrum on the stomatal conductance (Gs) and dry matter production of lettuce plants grown under a day/night cycle with different spectra, and also the effects on Gs of short-term exposure to different spectra. METHODS: Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) plants were grown with 6 h dark and 18 h light under four different spectra, red-blue (RB), red-blue-green (RBG), green (GF) and white (CWF), and Gs and plant growth were measured. KEY RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Conductance of plants grown for 23 d under CWF rose rapidly on illumination to a maximum in the middle of the light period, then decreased again before the dark period when it was minimal. However, the maximum was smaller in plants grown under RB, RGB and GF. This demonstrates that spectral quality during growth affects the diurnal pattern of stomatal conductance. Although Gs was smaller in plants grown under RGB than CWF, dry mass accumulation was greater, suggesting that Gs did not limit carbon assimilation under these spectral conditions. Temporarily changing the spectral quality of the plants grown for 23 d under CWF, affected stomatal responses reversibly, confirming studies on epidermal strips. This study provides new information showing that Gs is responsive to spectral quality during growth and, in the short-term, is not directly coupled to dry matter accumulation.     

Differential daytime and night-time stomatal behavior in plants from North American deserts

Night-time stomatal conductance (g(night)) occurs in many ecosystems, but the g(night) response to environmental drivers is relatively unknown, especially in deserts. Here, we conducted a Bayesian analysis of stomatal conductance (g) (N=5013) from 16 species in the Sonoran, Chihuahuan, Mojave and Great Basin Deserts (North America). We partitioned daytime g (g(day)) and g(night) responses by describing g as a mixture of two extreme (dark vs high light) behaviors. Significant g(night) was observed across 15 species, and the g(night) and g(day) behavior differed according to species, functional type and desert. The transition between extreme behaviors was determined by light environment, with the transition behavior differing between functional types and deserts. Sonoran and Chihuahuan C(4) grasses were more sensitive to vapor pressure difference (D) at night and soil water potential (Ψ(soil)) during the day, Great Basin C(3) shrubs were highly sensitive to D and Ψ(soil) during the day, and Mojave C(3) shrubs were equally sensitive to D and Ψ(soil) during the day and night. Species were split between the exhibition of isohydric or anisohydric behavior during the day. Three species switched from anisohydric to isohydric behavior at night. Such behavior, combined with differential D, Ψ(soil) and light responses, suggests that different mechanisms underlie g(day) and g(night) regulation.     

Abaxial and adaxial stomata from Pima cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) differ in their pigment content and sensitivity to light quality

Sensitivity to light quality and pigment composition were analysed and compared in abaxial and adaxial stomata of Gossypium barbadense L. (Pima cotton). In most plants, abaxial (lower) stomatal conductances are higher than adaxial (upper) ones, and stomatal opening is more sensitive to blue light than to red. In greenhouse-grown Pima cotton, abaxial stomatal conductances were two to three times higher than adaxial ones. In contrast, adaxial stomatal conductances were 1·5 to two times higher than abaxial ones in leaves from growth chamber-grown plants. To establish whether light quality was a factor in the regulation of the relationship between abaxial and adaxial stomatal conductances, growth-chamber-grown plants were exposed to solar radiation outdoors and to increased red light in the growth chamber. In both cases, the ratios of adaxial to abaxial stomatal conductance reverted to those typical of greenhouse plants. We investigated the hypothesis that adaxial stomata are more sensitive to blue light and abaxial stomata are more sensitive to red light. Measurements of stomatal apertures in mechanically isolated epidermal peels from growth chamber and greenhouse plants showed that adaxial stomata opened more under blue light than under red light, while abaxial stomata had the opposite response. Using HPLC, we quantified the chlorophylls and carotenoids extracted from isolated adaxial and abaxial guard cells. All pigments analysed were more abundant in the adaxial than in the abaxial guard cells. Antheraxanthin and β-carotene contents were 2·3 times higher in adaxial than in abaxial guard cells, comparing with ad/ab ratios of 1·5–1·9 for the other pigments. We conclude that adaxial and abaxial stomata from Pima cotton have a differential sensitivity to light quality and their distinct responses are correlated with different pigment content.     

Effects of low-level ozone exposure under ambient conditions on photosynthesis and stomatal control of Vicia faba L.

Abstract. Gas exchange rates of 4-week-old faba bean plants were measured after exposure to ozonc (120 μg m³) in an open top chamber for 8 h per day over a period of 2 weeks. The exchange rates were compared with those of control plants. Plants exposed between mid-May and the end of July 1987 showed a minor negative effect on stomatal conductance, while there was no effect on photosynthesis and respiration. Plants exposed between the end of August and early October showed a negative effect on both stomatal conductance and photosynthesis. In addition, the dark respiration rate was slightly increased. It is concluded that ozone can have a direct effect on the stomata as well as on the photosynthetic system and that the stomata are more sensitive than the photosynthetic system.     

The effect of exogenous abscisic acid on stomatal development, stomatal mechanics, and leaf gas exchange in Tradescantia virginiana

Gas exchange parameters and stomatal physical properties were measured in Tradescantia virginiana plants grown under well-watered conditions and treated daily with either distilled water (control) or 3.0 mM abscisic acid (ABA). Photosynthetic capacity (CO(2) assimilation rate for any given leaf intercellular CO(2) concentration [c(i)]) and relative stomatal sensitivity to leaf-to-air vapor-pressure difference were unaffected by the ABA treatment. However, at an ambient CO(2) concentration (c(a)) of 350 micromol mol(-1), ABA-treated plants operated with significantly lower c(i). ABA-treated plants had significantly smaller stomata and higher stomatal density in their lower epidermis. Stomatal aperture versus guard cell pressure (P(g)) characteristics measured with a cell pressure probe showed that although the form of the relationship was similar in control and ABA-treated plants, stomata of ABA-treated plants exhibited more complete closure at P(g) = 0 MPa and less than half the aperture of stomata in control plants at any given P(g). Scaling from stomatal aperture versus P(g) to stomatal conductance versus P(g) showed that plants grown under ABA treatment would have had significantly lower maximum stomatal conductance and would have operated with lower stomatal conductance for any given guard cell turgor. This is consistent with the observation of lower c(i)/c(a) in ABA-treated plants with a c(a) of 350 micromol mol(-1). It is proposed that the ABA-induced changes in stomatal mechanics and stomatal conductance versus P(g) characteristics constitute an improvement in water-use efficiency that may be invoked under prolonged drought conditions.     

CO2 and water vapour exchange in four alpine herbs at two altitudes and under varying light and temperature conditions

CO₂ and water vapour exchange rates of four alpine herbs namely: Rheum emodi, R. moorcroftianum, Megacarpaea polyandra and Rumex nepalensis were studied under field conditions at 3600 m (natural habitat) and 550 m altitudes. The effect of light and temperature on CO₂ and water vapour exchange was studied in the plants grown at lower altitude. In R. moorcroftianum and R. nepalensis, the average photosynthesis rates were found to be about three times higher at 550 m as compared to that under their natural habitat. However, in M. polyandra, the CO₂ exchange rates were two times higher at 3600 m than at 550 m but in R. emodi, there were virtually no differences at the two altitudes. These results indicate the variations in the CO₂ exchange rates are species specific. The change in growth altitude does not affect this process uniformly.The transpiration rates in R. emodi and M. polyandra were found to be very high at 3600 m compared to 550 m and are attributed to overall higher stomatal conductance in plants of these species, grown at higher altitude. The mid-day closure of stomata and therefore, restriction of transpirational losses of water were observed in all the species at 550 m altitude. In addition to the effect of temperature and relative humidity, the data also indicate some endogenous rhythmic control of stomatal conductance.The temperature optima for photosynthesis was close to 30°C in M. polyandra and around 20°C in the rest of the three species. High temperature and high light intensity, as well as low temperature and high light intensity, adversely affect the net rate of photosynthesis in these species.Both light compensation point and dark respiration rate increased with increasing temperature.The effect of light was more prominent on photosynthesis than the effect of temperature, however, on transpiration the effect of temperature was more prominent than the effect of light intensity.No definite trends were found in stomatal conductance with respect to light and temperature. Generally, the stomatal conductance was highest at 20°C.The study reveals that all these species can easily be cultivated at relatively lower altitudes. However, proper agronomical methodology will need to be developed for better yields.     

Stomatal response characteristics of Tradescantia virginiana grown at high relative air humidity

Plants produced at high relative air humidity (RH) show poor control of water loss after transferring to low RH, a phenomenon which is thought to be due to their stomatal behaviour. The stomatal anatomy and responses of moderate (55%) and high (90%) RH grown Tradescantia virginiana plants to treatments that normally induce stomatal closure, i.e. desiccation, abscisic acid (ABA) application and exposure to darkness were studied using attached or detached young, fully expanded leaves. Compared with plants grown at moderate RH the transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and aperture of high RH grown plants measured at the same condition (40% RH) were, respectively, 112, 139 and 132% in light and 141, 188 and 370% in darkness. Besides the differences in stomatal size (guard cell length was 56.7 and 73.3 µm for moderate and high RH grown plants, respectively), there was a clear difference in stomatal behaviour. The stomata responded to desiccation, ABA and darkness in both moderate and high RH grown plants, but the high variability of stomatal closure in high RH grown plants was striking. Some stomata developed at high RH closed in response to darkness or to a decrease in relative water content to the same extent as did stomata from moderate RH grown plants, whereas others closed only partly or did not close at all. Evidently, some as yet unidentified physiological or anatomical changes during development disrupt the normal functioning of some stomata in leaves grown at high RH. The failure of some stomata to close fully in response to ABA suggests that ABA deficiency was not responsible for the lack of stomatal closure in response to desiccation.     

Droopy: a wilty mutant of potato deficient in abscisic acid

Abstract. Droopy mutant of potato ( Solanum tubero-sum L., group Pliureja ) wilts because of excessive stomatal opening (Waggoner & Simmonds, 1966). Progeny of the cross between potato clones C.P.C. 4461 and C.P.C. 4463 showed characteristics similar to those of the original droopy potato. These plants wilted at high vapour pressure deficit and their stomatal conductances in the light and the dark were higher than those of normal plants. Conductances were reduced by applied abscisic acid (ABA), but stomata remained partially open even when guard cells were plasmolysed. Leaves of droopy plants accumulated very little ABA when water-stressed.     

Oscillations in stomatal conductance of hybrid poplar leaves in the light and dark

Cycling of stomatal conductance in three hybrid poplar ( Populus sp.) cultivars was observed under a variety of conditions. Illumination of plants kept previously in the dark induced very large oscillations with a period of about 40 min and large oscillations with a shorter period (< 10 min) were superimposed on the longer cycles. During these oscillations, large changes in conductance could occur very rapidly (1.0 cm s⁻¹ in 3 min). Plants in constant light also displayed both long and short term cycles in conductance, but these were smaller in amplitude than those induced by sudden illumination. Stomatal oscillations were also observed in darkness and after darkening of previously illuminated plants. These oscillations had shorter (< 30 min) and less regular periods than those observed in the light. Such cycling in the dark is rare. Cycling of the two leaf surfaces was sometimes in synchrony in the light, and more so after a perturbation. Little synchrony between the two surfaces was observed in the dark. Stomatal movements of different leaves on a plant were usually relatively independent. Transient stomatal opening occurred following leaf excision in the light or dark, and often after sudden darkening of intact leaves. Also, stomata of intact leaves sometimes transiently closed following illumination.