ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES OF CHLOROPLASTS IN ATTACHED AND DETACHED,AGING PRIMARY WHEAT LEAVES

Degradation of chloroplasts is shown in mesophyll cells of primary leaves of wheat. The sequence of ultrastructural changes in chloroplasts of naturally senescing leaves is compared with that of detached, aging leaves. In chloroplasts of naturally senescing leaves, the first indications of aging are the appearance of osmiophilic globuli and reorientation of the thylakoidal system. The membranes of the grana and intergrana lamellae then become distended and later dissociate into distinct vesicles. Concurrent with these membrane changes, osmiophilic globuli increase in size and number, and the stroma breaks down. Finally, the chloroplast envelope ruptures and plastid contents disperse throughout the cell's interior. In chloroplasts of mesophyll cells in detached, aging leaves, initial changes also include appearance of osmiophilic globuli, but later stages of chloroplast degradation are different. The chloroplast envelope ruptures before the lamellae break down. Swelling of grana and intergrana lamellae is not pronounced and, additionally, the thylakoidal system degenerates without forming vesicles or numerous osmiophilic globuli. These differences in the sequence of chloroplast degradation indicate that naturally senescing leaves rather than detached, aging leaves should be used in studies of chloroplast senescence.