Effects of Rht-dosage on the breaking strength of wheat seedling leaves

We report the effect of the reduced-height alleles Rht1 and Rht2 on the breaking strength and breaking stress of the first foliage leaves of wheat seedlings. Transverse size variables such as blade transverse area and blade width were positively related to the breaking strength and breaking stress of leaves, as was the total wall area of the principal fiber strands. A negative correlation was found for the Rht-dosage with respect to the breaking strength. Because Rht plants had greater transverse dimensions and equal amounts of principal fiber strands compared to wild type, we posit that Rht may affect the mechanical quality of leaf tissues per se. Rht may serve as an example of a simple genetic system that profoundly affects plant morphology, development, and biomechanics.     

Dwarfing genes and cell dimensions in different organs of wheat

A field experiment was conducted under non-limiting water and nutritional conditions with three near-isogenic lines of spring wheat (dwarf, DD; semi-dwarf, SD and standard height, SH) to study the impact of the GA-insensitive alleles Rht1 and Rht2, at the cellular level, on the growth of different vegetative organs and of the pericarp of grains. Cell length and width of blades of different leaves (3, 7 and flag leaf), the flag-leaf sheath and the penultimate internode as well as the pericarp of basal grains from central spikelets of the spike were evaluated. With the exception of the flag leaf, dwarfing genes produced a significant reduction in cell length in all the different vegetative organs analysed. There was no effect on the number of cells nor their width. Therefore, in vegetative organs, the effects of these alleles appeared to be exclusively due to a reduction in cell length. It would appear that dwarfing genes act on cell elongation without affecting cell division.The Rht alleles did not modify cell length nor width in the pericarp. Grain weight was different between the lines and these differences were associated with grain volume at the beginning of linear grain growth. Thus, they reduced the size of individual grains by reducing the total number of cells in the pericarp.It appears that Rht alleles reduced the final sizes of vegetative organs (such as internodes and leaves) and of tissues (pericarp) associated with reproductive structures (grains), but the modes of action in these different organs were different.Keywords: Cell dimensions, plant height, Rht alleles, Triticum aestivum/wheat.      

Modification of growth habit of Majestic potato by growth regulators applied at different times

The effect of gibberellic acid, CCC (2-chloroethyltrimethylammonium chloride) and B 9 (N-dimethylaminosuccinamic acid) was studied on growth of potato plants in pots. Growth was analysed on four occasions and changes in habit defined in terms of internode lengths, leaf areas and growth of lateral branches. Soaking seed pieces for 1 hr. in GA solution caused six internodes to elongate greatly, an effect not prevented by CCC applied when the shoot emerged from the soil. The effects on internode extension were determined by the length of the interval between GA treatment and CCC treatment. Treatment at emergence with CCC shortened all internodes and more CCC applied 4 weeks later had no effect. Late application of CCC or B9 shortened the top two lateral branches, usually very long in untreated plants. The regulators affected leaf growth differently from internode growth: usually growth regulators had less effect on leaf growth. Effects on growth depended on when the regulators were applied. Treatment with GA alone inhibited bud development at higher nodes than in untreated plants; when followed by late treatment with CCC, lateral growth at higher nodes was also less. CCC retarded development of lateral branches especially when applied early. B9 had a similar effect to CCC applied late. When regulators retarded growth of lower laterals, upper laterals often grew more than in untreated plants. Treatments did not affect the number of leaves on the main stem at first but later GA hastened senescence. GA increased the number of leaves on lateral stems, and the effect was enhanced by CCC. CCC alone increased the number of first- and second-order lateral leaves. GA lengthened and CCC shortened stolons. The effect of CCC persisted throughout the life of the plant. CCC or B 9 shortened stolons whenever applied. CCC hastened tuber initiation but slowed tuber growth. CCC at first retarded formation of lateral tubers but had no effect on the ultimate numbers of lateral and terminal tubers. The value of E (net assimilation rate) did not alter with time. CCC applied at emergence increased E, probably because it hastened tuber initiation and temporarily increased sink capacity. Although tubers formed earlier with CCC, their growth was slower and their demand for carbohydrate was also less. The increase in second-order laterals in CCC-treated plants indicates that they utilize carbohydrate that would normally go to tubers. This experiment also demonstrates that crowding leaves by shortening stems did not diminish E, possibly because another over-riding process (bigger sinks) offsets the effect of shading.     

The Effects of Dwarfing Genes Rht1 and Rht2 on Cellular Dimensions and Rate of Leaf Elongation in Wheat

The gibberellin insensitivity genes, Rht1 and Rht2, reducedepidermal cell lengths in leaves of isogenic lines of field-and laboratory-grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Rht dosagesof zero (wild type), two (semi-dwarf) and four alleles (doubledwarf) had a linear negative effect on cell length in flag leavesof field-grown plants, and in the sheaths and blades of leafnumber 1 in laboratory grown plants. Decrease in cell length,rather than reduced cell number, accounted for most to all ofthe reduction in blade and sheath length. In sheaths, cell widthincreased with Rht dosage, but not sufficiently to compensatefor decreased length in determining average projected surfacearea. Rates of extension of leaf number 1 in laboratory-grownplants were negatively and linearly correlated with Rht dosage.Maximal growth rate was maintained longer in wild type thanin double dwarf, but the total duration of measurable extensionin leaf number 1 was not affected by Rht dosage. Cell size, elongation, Rht, wheat, Triticum aestivum L     

Effects of NORIN 10 and Tom Thumb Dwarfing Genes on Morphology, Physiology and Abscisic Acid Production in Wheat

The pleiotropic effects of three genetically related dwarfinggenes were investigated in near-isogenic lines of wheat. TheNORIN 10 semi-dwarfing alleles, Rht 1 and Rht 2, and the TomThumb allele, Rht 3, were assessed for effects on some vegetativemorphological and physiological characters. The Rht allelesaffected leaf size with a resultant decrease in leaf area ofthe whole plant. Rht 3, which had the most marked effects, reducedleaf area in young plants by as much as 30 per cent. Althoughflag leaf dimensions and stomatal distributions of the flagleaf were altered, the gene had no effect on its area, stomatalconductance or net CO₂ exchange rate. Comparisons of Rht andtall plants revealed no differences in the abscisic acid (ABA)levels of either turgid or partially dehydrated leaves. Triticum aestivum L., wheat, dwarfing genes, leaf structure, abscisic acid, stomatal conductance, CO₂, exchange, relative growth rate     

Leaf-area development in King Edward potato plants inoculated with Verticillium albo-atrum and V. dahliae

Leaf-area development in King Edward potato plants infected with Verticillium albo-atrum and V. dahliae was examined both in plants with a normal growth pattern and in those where maturity had been artificially delayed. Methods are described for producing uniform, single-stemmed, initially disease-free host plants, and for measuring their total and green leaf areas throughout their development. Under both growth conditions the pathogens had no apparent effect upon the initiation of new leaves on the main axis of the plant, but they did influence their subsequent development. During the growing period the pathogens caused stunting, thus preventing the production of the potential maximum leaf area, while at maturity the chlorosis and necrosis of the diseased leaves and their premature fall reduced functional leaf area. In diseased plants in which maturity had been delayed, stunting at the apices was more apparent: internode length, leaf petiolar axis length and leaf area were all smaller than in healthy plants, the greatest reductions being shown in leaf area. Cells in the stunted leaves were fewer and smaller than those in healthy leaves. A direct result of leaf-area reduction was the development of smaller tubers, with consequent reduction in the fresh weight, and some reduction in tuber number. V. albo-atrum invariably proved to be more virulently pathogenic than V. dahliae; the use of an average Verticillium index was shown to be a reliable method for estimating relative virulence since it reflected both leaf area and yield reductions. Delaying host maturity and thus lengthening the period of extension growth conferred some resistance on plants infected with V. dahliae; symptom progression was stopped after its initial expression, and consequently leaf area was increased. This form of resistance was not shown in the plants inoculated with V. albo-atrum.     

外界支持物直径对苦瓜生长和觅食行为的影响

采用实验生态学的方法研究了外界支持直径变化对苦瓜植株生长和觅食行为的影响。结果表明,支持物直径变化对主茎节间、叶片、叶柄和卷须的发育进程无明显影响。苦瓜植株的攀援生长显著受到支持物直径大小的影响,当支持物直径小于8mm时,植株能较好地自主攀援生长。生长于直径支持物上的植株比生长于小直径支持物上的植株表现出较高的分枝率、较短的主茎、较长的分枝、较大的比茎长和比叶柄长。相关分析表明,节间长度和叶柄长度同植株自主攀援程度成显著正相关关系,而单叶面积、分枝数量和比叶柄长同植株自主攀援程度成显著负相关关系。作为攀援植物的一种重要资源,外界支持物的特征和存在状况将对植物的生长和行为产生重要影响。     

不同荷花品种出泥部分与根状茎生长性状和部分生理指标的比较及相关性分析

在盆栽条件下,对不同荷花(Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.)品种〔藕莲品种'大紫红'('Dazihong')、花莲品种'中国红·上海'('Zhongguohongshanghai')和花藕兼用莲品种'逸仙莲'('Yixianlian')〕出泥部分(叶和花)和泥下部分(根状茎)的生长性状和部分生理指标进行了比较研究,并对3个荷花品种出泥部分与根状茎间的生长性状和部分生理指标进行了相关性分析.结果表明:'大紫红'在整个生长发育期不开花;'中国红·上海'开花时间相对较早(6月上旬),花重瓣且色泽鲜艳;'逸仙莲'开花时间相对较晚(7月上中旬),花单瓣呈白色.3个荷花品种中,'大紫红'立叶数最少,立叶面积最大,根状茎膨大明显,根状茎中可溶性糖和可溶性蛋白质含量最高;'中国红·上海'立叶数最多,立叶中叶绿素含量最高,根状茎节间长度最长,但根状茎膨大不明显;'逸仙莲'立叶数居中,叶柄最长,根状茎膨大明显,根状茎中可溶性蛋白质、可溶性糖、淀粉和维生素C含量介于其他2个荷花品种之间.相关性分析结果表明:荷花立叶面积与根状茎节间长度呈显著负相关,而与根状茎中可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白质及维生素C含量呈极显著或显著正相关;叶柄长度与根状茎直径和根状茎节间质量呈显著正相关;立叶中叶绿素含量与根状茎节间长度和根状茎中淀粉含量呈显著正相关,而与根状茎中可溶性糖含量呈显著负相关.研究结果显示:根据供试3个荷花品种的立叶面积、叶柄长度、立叶中叶绿素含量可间接判断根状茎的生长发育及营养品质状况,并可进一步应用于快速选育花藕兼用莲品种.     

Effects of leaf blade narrowness and petiole length on the light capture efficiency of a shoot

Effects of the length: width ratio of a leaf blade and petiole length on shoot light capture were studied with computer simulation. Both a larger length: width ratio and longer petiole contributed to larger light capture per unit leaf area due to a reduced aggregation of leaf area around the stem. Other conditions being equal, shoots with narrow leaves and no petioles and those with wide leaves with petioles showed similar light capture as long as the mean distance of the leaf blade from the stem was the same. In shoots with a short internode and/or distichous phyllotaxis, however, narrow leaves contributed more to avoiding mutual shading than wide leaves with petioles. The predominance of light coming from a higher angular altitude also favored narrow leaves. The possible consequences of these results in the adaptive geometry of plant architecture are discussed.     

Phytochrome effects on stem carbon gain in light-grown mustard seedlings are not simply the result of stem extension-growth responses

Carbon allocation and partitioning were investigated in the first internode of light-grown Sinapís alba L. seedlings exposed to white light (WL) with or without supplementary far-red light (FR). In the internode, supplementary FR increased the rates of extension-growth and the accumulation of radiolabeled carbon (fed through the leaves), reducing sugars (even per unit volume), starch, hemicellulose and cellulose, but had no effect on the levels of sucrose and ammonium oxalate-solubilised cell wall carbohydrates, on invertase activity or on the use of additional sucrose fed through the leaves. In source leaves, supplementary FR had no effect on photosynthesis rates and reduced the accumulation of radiolabeled carbon. Mechanical reduction of stem extension-growth responses to supplementary FR did not affect internode carbohydrate or carbon accumulation responses. Supplementary FR provided only to one leaf had no effect on internode extension growth but increased carbon accumulation in the internode. provided that supplementary FR and radiolabeled carbon were both given to the same leaf. Phytochrome-mediated effects on carbon partitioning are not the mere consequence of internode extension-growth responses. Some additional control point(s) (e.g. leaf-source strength) must be under the direct influence of phytochrome.     

LEAF DEVELOPMENT OF PHASEOLUS VULGARIS L. IN LIGHT AND IN DARKNESS

Development of the primary bean leaf in the dark and under continuous white light was studied during 14 days after sowing. The increase in surface area of the blade is the result of a number of sequential processes. Both in the darkness and under illumination, leaf growth is characterized by an initial cell enlargement followed by intensive cell division. Cell division in etiolated leaves continues for one day longer than in illuminated ones, but it proceeds at a slower rate. Mature leaves grown under white light undergo a phase of cell enlargement after cell division has stopped. This increases their surface area up to 800 times when compared with the blade area of the embryo. This enlargement phase is almost absent in dark-grown seedlings. Consequently the blade area of etiolated leaves is only 50 times that of the embryonic state. Thus light appears to have a dual effect on leaf development: it activates cell division and induces cell expansion.     

Specific photoperiodic stimulation of dry matter production in a high-latitude cultivar of Poa pratensis

Vegetative plants of Poa pratensis L. cv. Holt (origin 69°N) raised in short days gave large and significant increases in plant dry weight, plant height and leaf area upon exposure to continuous light, compared with 8-h short days, at essentially identical daily inputs of radiant energy (8-h summer daylight ± low intensity extension). For example, by the fourth harvest (after 26, 34 and 46 days at 21, 15 and 9°C, respectively), the dry weights of plants in long days were 81, 163 and 195% greater than those of the corresponding short-day controls at the respective temperatures. Plant leaf areas in long days were between two and four times as large as control values by the end of the experiment. This was mainly due to increased leaf length caused by long-day stimulation of cell extension and division. However, the photoperiod did not affect the partitioning of assimilates amongst leaves, culms and stolons. Most of these effects could also be brought about by exogenous gibberellin application to plants in short days. However, in contrast to the effect of long days, gibberellin treatment also induced stem internode elongation even in these vegetative plants. Examination by standard growth analysis procedures revealed that the observed increases in relative growth rate were due primarily to increased net assimilation rate followed, several days later, by increases in leaf area ratio when newly-emerged leaves began to constitute a significant proportion of the leaf area. It is concluded that these reactions are of great adaptive significance for growth at the marginal temperatures prevailing at high latitudes.     

籼稻桂华占、八桂香花后营养器官干物质流转与籽粒灌浆关系

以桂华占和八桂香2个籼稻品种为材料,研究籼稻花后不同部位器官物质积累、运转与籽粒生长的动态特征及相互关系。结果表明:(1)叶、叶鞘、节间干物质流转存在一定差异,倒2叶鞘对籽粒的贡献超过倒3叶鞘和倒1叶鞘,倒3节间对籽粒的贡献超过倒2节间和倒1节间;(2)不同部位籽粒的灌浆速率和拐点粒重呈现UPG(上部籽粒)MPG(中部籽粒)BPG(下部籽粒)变化趋势,拐点时间和活跃灌浆时间及持续灌浆时间均呈现BPGMPGUPG变化规律,UPG启动早,灌浆速率大,BPG的灌浆速率小,灌浆时间滞后,籽粒粒重呈现UPGMPGBPG;(3)叶片、叶鞘及节间干物质运转速度和运转率都与籽粒起始灌浆势呈正相关,其中器官间与起始灌浆势的相关系数大小表现为节间叶鞘叶片,不同叶位间与起始灌浆势的相关系数大小表现为倒2叶倒3叶倒1叶,其中节间干物质运转对籽粒生长的作用大于叶鞘,叶片干物质运转与籽粒生长的相关性最小。倒1节鞘物质输出与BPG生长时间上同步,倒2节鞘与MPG生长同步,倒3节鞘与UPG生长同步。     

Architecture and growth of an annual plant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chenopodium album</Emphasis> in different light climates

Light climates strongly influence plant architecture and mass allocation. Using the metamer concept, we quantitatively described branching architecture and growth of Chenopodium album plants grown solitarily or in a dense stand. Metamer is a unit of plant construction that is composed of an internode and the upper node with a leaf and a subtended axillary bud. The number of metamers on the main-axis stem increased with plant growth, but did not differ between solitary and dense-stand plants. Solitary plants had shorter thicker internodes with branches larger in size and number than the plant in the dense stand. Leaf area on the main stem was not different. Larger leaf area in solitary plants was due to a larger number of leaves on branches. Leaf mass per area (LMA) was higher in solitary plants. It did not significantly differ between the main axis and branches in solitary plants, whereas in the dense stand it was smaller on branches. Dry mass was allocated most to leaves in solitary plants and to stems in the dense stand in vegetative growth. Reproductive allocation was not significantly different. Branch/main stem mass ratio was higher in solitary than dense-stand plants, and leaf/stem mass ratio higher in branches than in the main axis. Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) (dry mass growth per unit N uptake) was higher and light use efficiency (LUE) (dry mass growth per unit light interception) was lower in the plant grown solitarily than in the dense stand.     

Effect of Leaf Age and Nodal Position on Receptivity of Rice Leaves to Infection by Pyricularia grisea

The effect of leaf age and nodal position on leaf receptivity to rice blast, caused by Pyricularia grisea , was studied by inoculating potted Rosemont plants with blast pathogen race IC-17, isolate 92T107. at different growth stages. Regressioti equations were used to describe the effect ofleaf age (degree days > 10 C) and nodal position on lesion density, the relative frequency of lesion appearance, and the lesion area distribtition. The number of sporulating lesions per cm² of inoculated leaf area was highest for leaves inoculated early in their development and progressively lower for leaves inoculated later in their development. The average lesion density for less than 1-day-old leaves at nodal position 6 was about four times the density for 10-day-old leaves of the same nodal position. Lesion density was similar for leaves of less than 1-day-old from the 4th to the 7th nodal position, but dropped sharply from the 7th to the 11 th nodal position. The flag leaf was the least susceptible of all nodal positions. The average lesion density for young leaves of about 1-day-old at nodal position 6 was about 27 times the density for young flag leaves of the same age. The incubation period increased with leaf age. but was not obviously affected by leaf nodal position. Lesion area increased linearly with time, but was not affected by leaf age and nodal position. The results are of use for epidemiological investigations which rely on detailed quantitative leaf susceptibility data for accurate blast forecasts.     

THE DEVELOPMENTAL MORPHOLOGY OF NICOTIANA TABACUM ‘WHITE BURLEY’ AS INFLUENCED BY VIRUS INFECTION AND GIBBERELLIC ACID

Stein , Diana B. (U. Montana, Missoula.) The developmental morphology of Nicotiana tabacum ‘White Burley’ as influenced by virus infection and gibberellic acid. Amer. Jour. Bot. 49(5): 437–443. Illus. 1962.—‘White Burley’ tobacco with Severe Etch Virus (SEV) displayed a reduction of plant height which was overcome to a limited degree by spraying with gibberellic acid (GA). Spraying with GA, while hastening maturity in terms of earlier elongation and flowering, also prolonged the life of treated plants. Infection with SEV caused an increased rate of leaf production, and since flowering was also delayed, the greater number of leaves is produced by infected plants. Spraying with GA also increased the rate of leaf production but did not increase the final number of leaves produced. All groups except the unsprayed virus-infected plants showed a spurt in leaf production just prior to flowering. The pattern of internode elongation was obtained by the periodic measurement of individual internodes. In general, this pattern reflected the stunting properties of the virus and the growth-promoting properties of the GA. Internodes which were mature at time of spraying with GA were not affected. Infection with virus generally delayed elongation and shifted the internode pattern. Infection with SEV tended to reduce the size of leaves already present prior to inoculation, but some leaves produced after infection were actually 1arger than the same leaves on the controls. Spraying a healthy plant with GA made older leaves longer and wider, while less mature leaves at time of treatment tended to be longer and narrower. Spraying with GA reversed the reduction in size caused by the virus only if the leaf was a very young primordium or was formed during the course of treatment with GA.     

EFFECTS OF SINGLE AND MULTIPLE EXPOSURES OF FERULIC ACID ON THE VEGETATIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE GROWTH OF PHASEOLUS VULGARIS BBL-290

Phaseolus vulgaris BBL-290 plants were grown in growth chambers in the Southeastern Plant Environment Laboratory and exposed to either single (at seedling, flower, or podfill) or multiple (biweekly or weekly) treatments of ferulic acid (FA). In the first experiment, plants were harvested one week after FA treatment (0, 1.0, 2.0 mM) and at final harvest (56 days old). FA delayed leaf expansion during the seedling and flowering stages. The total plant leaf area and the plant dry weight of plants treated with 1.0 and 2.0 mM FA as seedlings were reduced one week after treatment by 38–48%. The total plant leaf area and the plant dry weight of plants treated at flowering with 2.0 mM FA were reduced by 25% one week after treatment. Treatment with 2.0 mM FA at podfill caused the senescence and abscission of older leaves and reduced total plant leaf area, plant dry weight and mean pod dry weight by 54, 40, and 48%, respectively, one week after treatment. The plants treated at the seedling and flowering stages recovered by final harvest. In a subsequent experiment, FA (0, 0.50, 1.0, 1.5 mM) reduced total plant leaf area at the seedling and flowering stages but not at podfill. The youngest expanding leaves were most sensitive to FA at flowering. The leaf area of these leaves was reduced by 35 and 25%, one and two weeks after treatment, respectively. Their absolute growth rates were reduced from 31 to 56% one week after treatment at flowering. Their relative growth rates were reduced by 50% one week after treatment. Growth rates then recovered within two weeks after treatment. In the final experiment, biweekly exposures of FA (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0) reduced total plant leaf area but did not affect any other growth parameters. Weekly exposures of FA (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0) reduced total plant leaf area up to 34%, absolute growth rate up to 58%, leaf number up to 31% and pod number up to 58%. As the frequency of exposure to FA increased, the concentration necessary to affect bean plant growth and development decreased.     

Changes in total nitrogen, soluble protein, and peroxidases in the expanding leaf zone of eastern cottonwood

Nitrogen content and soluble protein and anodal peroxidase banding in acrylamide gel changed with leaf and internode development in the expanding leaf zone of eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr.). Nitrogen per unit leaf area was high near the apex and decreased to a constant value at the sixth node below it. Soluble protein banding was qualitatively similar for leaves and internodes in this zone, but anodal peroxidases differed between leaves and internodes. The major leaf peroxidase band was absent from the second leaf below the apex but present in the fourth and sixth leaves; its appearance and intensification seemed to parallel the development of photosynthetic activity. The major internode peroxidase band was present in the apex, second, fourth, and sixth internodes, and intensified during internodal development. It is suggested that these two “isoenzymes” may have different functions in vivo.     

Influence of the gibberellin-sensitive Rht8 dwarfing gene on leaf epidermal cell dimensions and early vigour in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The gibberellin-insensitive Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b dwarfing genes are known to reduce the size of cells in culms, leaves and coleoptiles of wheat. Resulting leaf area development of gibberellin-insensitive wheats is poor compared to standard height (Rht-B1a and Rht-D1a) genotypes. Alternative dwarfing genes to Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b are available that reduce plant height, such as the gibberellin-responsive Rht8 gene. This study aims to investigate if Rht8 has a similar dwarfing effect on the size of leaf cells to reduce leaf area. METHODS: The effect of Rht8 on cell size and leaf area was assessed in four types of epidermal cells (interstomatal, long, sister and bulliform) measured on leaf 2 of standard height (rht8) and semi-dwarf (Rht8) doubled-haploid lines (DHLs). The DHLs were derived from a cross between very vigorous, standard height (rht8) ('Vigour18') and less vigorous, semi-dwarf (Rht8) ('Chuan-Mai 18') parents. KEY RESULTS: Large differences were observed in seedling vigour between the parents, where 'Vigour18' had a much greater plant leaf area than 'Chuan-Mai 18'. Accordingly, 'Vigour18' had on average longer, wider and more epidermal cells and cell files than 'Chuan-Mai 18'. Although there was correspondingly large genotypic variation among DHLs for these traits, the contrast between semi-dwarf Rht8 and tall rht8 DHLs revealed no difference in the size of leaf 2 or average cell characteristics. Hence, these traits were independent of plant height and therefore Rht8 in the DHLs. Correlations for leaf and average cell size across DHLs revealed a strong and positive relationship between leaf width and cell files, while the relationships between leaf and cell width, and leaf and cell length were not statistically different. The relative contribution of the four cell types (long, sister, interstomatal and bulliform) to leaf size in the parents, comparative controls and DHLs is discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a large range in early vigour among the DHLs, none of the DHLs attained the leaf area or epidermal cell size and numbers of the vigorous rht8 parent. Nonetheless, the potential exists to increase the early vigour of semi-dwarf wheats by using GA-sensitive dwarfing genes such as Rht8.