THE ROLE OF LIGHT IN HISTOGENESIS AND DIFFERENTIATION IN THE SHOOT OF PISUM SATIVUM. II. THE LEAF

Thomson , Betty F., and Pauline Monz Miller . (Connecticut Coll., New London.) The role of light in histogenesis and differentiation in the shoot of Pisum sativum, II. The leaf. Amer. Jour. Bot. 49(4): 383–387. Illus. 1962.—Development of the form and anatomy of leaves was studied in plants of Pisum sativum grown in vermiculite under constant conditions and exposed daily to red or white light or kept in continuous darkness. The red light used had an intensity in the morphogenetically active red region of the spectrum of 70–75% that of the white light. Light had no effect on the manner of initiation or early development of leaf primordia. Quantitative data from older leaves showed that light has no effect on the pattern of later development but does affect the rate and extent of development. Under all light conditions, the length of the leaflet is closely correlated with the state of its internal anatomy. “Mature” etiolated leaves duplicate young stages of light-grown leaves. Mature leaves grown in red light duplicate not-quite-mature leaves grown in white light. The difference between white-light and red-light leaves is attributed here to light intensity and resembles that between sun and shade leaves.