The Pattern and Sequence of Opaline Silica Deposition in Rye (Secale cereale L.)

The pattern of opaline silica deposition in the leaves and internodesof rye (Secale cereale L.) has been studied by means of countsof silica-bodies in cleared epidermal preparations. Silica depositionoccurs during the maturation process when the leaves are fullyexpanded. The increase in total silica content and changes inthe ‘free’ and residual silica fractions of theleaves during their growth period have been determined usinga colorimetric estimation.