Leaf veins supply the mesophyll with water that evaporates when stomata are open to allow CO2 uptake for photosynthesis. Theoretical analyses suggest that water is optimally distributed in the mesophyll when the lateral distance between veins (dx) is equal to the distance from these veins to the epidermis (dy), expressed as dx:dy ≈ 1. Although this theory is supported by observations of many de...

Patterns of increasing leaf mass per area (LMA), area-based leaf nitrogen (Narea), and carbon isotope composition ( 13C) with increasing height in the canopy have been attributed to light gradients or hydraulic limitation in tall trees. Theoretical optimal distributions of LMA and Narea that scale with light maximize canopy photosynthesis; however, sub-optimal distributions are often observed d...

Rapid changes in the transpiration rate from a leaf or leafy shoot as a result of excision of that leaf or shoot have been observed in many plants bv many investigators (1, 2, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16). In banana plants, both photosynthesis and transpiration have been found to change rapidly following excision of the leaf (7). The mechanism underlying such rapid changes in transpiration has bee...

As sugar beet source leaves lowered the CO(2) concentration to compensation point in a closed atmosphere, leaf thickness and relative water content decreased. Leaf water potential declined rapidly from -0.5 to -1.4 megapascals. At 340 microliters CO(2) per liter, water potential and sucrose, glucose, and fructose contents were steady in photosynthesizing source leaves. Within 90 minutes after l...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Leaf mechanical properties, which are important to protect leaves against physical stresses, are thought to change with light and nutrient availabilities. This study aims to understand phenotypic changes of leaf mechanical properties with respect to dry mass allocation and anatomy. METHODS Leaf lamina strength (maximum force per unit area to fracture), toughness (work to f...

BACKGROUND Elevated tropospheric ozone severely affects not only yield but also the morphology, structure and physiological functions of plants. Because of concerns regarding the potential environmental risk of transgenic crops, it is important to monitor changes in transgenic insect-resistant rice under the projected high tropospheric ozone before its commercial release. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPA...