Photosynthetica 2005, 43(1):85-90 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-5090-8

Leaf anatomy and photosynthetic acclimation in Valeriana jatamansi L. grown under high and low irradiance

S. Pandey1,*, R. Kushwaha1
1 Division of Biotechnology, Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, India

Relationship of leaf anatomy with photosynthetic acclimation of Valeriana jatamansi was studied under full irradiance [FI, 1 600 μmol(PPFD) m-2 s-1] and net-shade [NS, 650 μmol(PPFD) m-2 s-1]. FI plants had thicker leaves with higher respiration rate (RD), nitrogen content per unit leaf area, chlorophyll a/b ratio, high leaf mass per leaf area unit (LMA), and surface area of mesophyll cell (Smes) and chloroplasts (Sc) facing intercellular space than NS plants. The difference between leaf thickness of FI and NS leaves was about 28 % but difference in photon-saturated rate of photosynthesis per unit leaf area (PNmax) was 50 %. This indicates that PNmax can increase to a larger extent than the leaf thickness with increasing irradiance in V. jatamansi. Anatomical studies showed that the mesophyll cells of FI plants had no open spaces along the mesophyll cell walls (higher Sc), but in NS plants wide open spaces along the mesophyll cell wall (lower Sc) were found. Positive correlation between Sc and PNmax explained the higher PNmax in FI plants. Increase in mesophyll thickness increased the availability of space along the mesophyll cell wall for chloroplasts (increased Sc) and hence PNmax was higher in FI plants. Thus this Himalayan species can acclimate to full sunlight by altering leaf anatomy and therefore may be cultivated in open fields.

Additional key words: chlorophyll; chloroplast; leaf thickness; mesophyll; photosynthetic acclimation; respiration rate; shade

Received: May 31, 2004; Accepted: August 23, 2004; Published: March 1, 2005  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Pandey, S., & Kushwaha, R. (2005). Leaf anatomy and photosynthetic acclimation in Valeriana jatamansi L. grown under high and low irradiance. Photosynthetica, 43(1), 85-90. doi: 10.1007/s11099-005-5090-8
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Anonymous: The Wealth of India. A Dictionary of Indian Raw Materials and Industrial Products. Vol. X. - Publication and Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi 1976.
    2. Anten, N.P.R., Werger, M.J.A.: Canopy structure and nitrogen distribution in dominant and subordinate plants in a dense stand of Amaranthus dubius L. with a size hierarchy of individuals. - Oecologia 105: 30-37, 1996. Go to original source...
    3. Björkman, O.: Responses to different quantum flux densities. - In: Lange, O.L., Nobel, P.S., Osmond, C.B., Ziegler, H. (ed.): Physiological Plant Ecology I. Pp. 57-107. Springer-Verlag, Berlin - Heidelberg - New York 1981. Go to original source...
    4. Boardman, N.K.: Comparative photosynthesis of sun and shade plants. - Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 28: 355-377, 1977. Go to original source...
    5. Chazdon, R.L., Kaufmann, S.: Plasticity of leaf anatomy of two forest shrubs in relation to photosynthetic irradiance acclimation. - Funct. Ecol. 7: 385-394, 1993. Go to original source...
    6. Concon, J.M., Soltess, D.: Rapid micro Kjeldahl digestion of cereal grains and other biological materials. - Anal. Biochem. 53: 35-41, 1973. Go to original source...
    7. Evans, J.R.: Partitioning of nitrogen between and within leaves grown under different irradiance. - Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 16: 533-548, 1989. Go to original source...
    8. Evans, J.R., Caemmerer, S. von, Setchell, B.A., Hudson, G.S.: The relationship between CO2 transfer conductance and leaf anatomy in transgenic tobacco with a reduced content of Rubisco. - Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 21: 475-495, 1994. Go to original source...
    9. Foss, R., Houghton, P.J.: Valeriana products. - In: Houghton, P.J. (ed.): Valerian, the Genus Valeriana. Pp. 129-137. Harwood Academic Publ., Amsterdam 1997. Go to original source...
    10. Frak, E., Le Roux, X., Millard, P., Dreyer, E., Jaouen, G., Saint-Joanis, B., Wendler, R.: Changes in total leaf nitrogen and partitioning of leaf nitrogen drive photosynthetic acclimation to light in fully developed walnut leaves. - Plant Cell Environ. 24: 1279-1288, 2001. Go to original source...
    11. Genty, B., Harbinson, J.: Regulation of light utilisation for photosynthetic electron transport. - In: Baker, N.R. (ed.): Photosynthesis and the Environment. Pp. 67-99. Kluwer Academic Publ., Dordrecht - Boston - London 1996. Go to original source...
    12. Givnish, T.J.: Adaptation to sun and shade: a whole-plant perspective. - Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 15: 63-92, 1988. Go to original source...
    13. Grime, J.P.: Shade tolerance in flowering plants. - Nature 208: 161, 1965. Go to original source...
    14. Hikosaka, K., Terashima, I.: A model of the acclimation of photosynthesis in the leaves of C3 plants to sun and shade with respect to nitrogen use. - Plant Cell Environ. 18: 605-618, 1995. Go to original source...
    15. Honda, S.I., Hongladarom-Honda, T., Kwanyuen, P., Wildman, S.G.: Interpretations on chloroplast reproduction derived from correlation between cells and chloroplasts. - Planta 97: 1-15, 1971. Go to original source...
    16. Kaul, M.K., Handa, S.: Response of medicinal plants to changed habitats and altitudes. - J. trop. med. Plants 1: 125-137, 2000.
    17. Lusk, C.H., Reich, P.B.: Relationship of leaf dark respiration with light environment and tissue nitrogen content in juveniles of 11 cold-temperate tree species. - Oecologia 123: 318-329, 2000. Go to original source...
    18. Mohotti, A.J., Lawlor, D.W.: Diurnal variation of photosynthesis and photoinhibition in tea: effects of irradiance and nitrogen supply during growth in the field. - J. exp. Bot. 53: 313-322, 2002. Go to original source...
    19. Mooney, H.A., Gulmon, G.L.: Environmental and evolutionary constraints on the photosynthetic characteristics of higher plants. - In: Solbrig, O.T., Jain, S., Johnson, G.B., Raven, P.H. (ed.): Topics in Plant Population Biology. Pp. 316-337. Columbia University Press, New York 1979. Go to original source...
    20. Niinemets, Ü., Tenhunen, J.D.: A model separating structural and physiological effects on carbon gain along light gradients for the shade-tolerant species Acer saccharum. - Plant Cell Environ. 20: 845-866, 1997. Go to original source...
    21. Nishio, J.N., Sun, J., Vogelmann, T.C.: Photoinhibition and the light environment within leaves. - In: Baker, N.R., Bowyer, J.R. (ed.): Photoinhibition of Photosynthesis from Molecular Mechanisms to the Field. Pp. 221-237. Bios Scientific Publ., Oxford 1994.
    22. Nobel, P.S.: Physicochemical and Environmental Plant Physiology. - Academic Press, San Diego 1991.
    23. Oguchi, R., Hikosaka, K., Hirose, T.: Does the photosynthetic light-acclimation need changes in leaf anatomy? - Plant Cell Environ. 26: 505-512, 2003. Go to original source...
    24. Pandey, S., Kumar, S., Nagar, P.K.: Photosynthetic performance of Ginkgo biloba L. grown under high and low irradiance. - Photosynthetica 41: 505-511, 2003. Go to original source...
    25. Pandey, S., Misra, S.K., Kumar, N.: Post harvest change in excised Piper betle L. leaf: Temporal changes in betel types bangle and kapoori. - Indian J. exp. Biol. 36: 95-98, 1998.
    26. Pandey, S., Nagar, P.K.: Leaf surface wetness and morphological characteristics of Valeriana jatamansi grown under open and shade habitats. - Biol. Plant. 45: 291-294, 2002. Go to original source...
    27. Pons, T.L., Vanrijnberk, H., Scheurwater, I., Vanderwerf, A.: Importance of the gradient in photosynthetically active radiation in a vegetation stand for leaf nitrogen allocation in two monocotyledons. - Oecologia 95: 416-424, 1993. Go to original source...
    28. Ramalho, J.C., Pons, T.L., Groenveld, H.W., Nunes, M.A.: Photosynthetic responses of Coffea arabica leaves to a short-term high light exposure in relation to N availability. - Physiol. Plant. 101: 229-239, 1997. Go to original source...
    29. Schiefthaler, U., Russell, A.W., Bolhàr-Nordenkampf, H.R., Critchley, C.: Photoregulation and photodamage in Schefflera arboricola leaves adapted to different light environments. - Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 26: 485-494, 1997. Go to original source...
    30. Sims, D.A., Pearcy, R.W.: Response of leaf anatomy and photosynthetic capacity in Alocasia-macrorrhiza Araceae to a transfer from low to high light. - Amer. J. Bot. 79: 449-455, 1992. Go to original source...
    31. Sinoquet, H., le Roux, X., Adam, B., Ameglio, T., Daudet, F.A.: RATP: a model for simulating the spatial distribution of radiation absorption, transpiration and photosynthesis within canopies: application to an isolated tree crown. - Plant Cell Environ. 24: 395-406, 2001. Go to original source...
    32. Syvertsen, J.P., Lloyd, J., McConchie, C., Kriedemann, P.E., Farquhar, G.D.: On the relationship between leaf anatomy and CO2 diffusion through the mesophyll of hypostomatous leaves. - Plant Cell Environ. 18: 149-157, 1995. Go to original source...
    33. Terashima, I., Miyazawa, S.I., Hanba, Y.T.: Why are sun leaves thicker than shade leaves? Consideration based on analyses of CO2 diffusion in the leaf. - J. Plant Res. 114: 93-105, 2001. Go to original source...
    34. Thain, J.F.: Curvature correction factors in the measurement of cell surface areas in plant tissues. - J. exp. Bot. 34: 87-94, 1983. Go to original source...
    35. Taiz, L., Zeiger, E.: Plant Physiology. - Sinauer, Sunderland 1998.
    36. Vats, S.K., Pandey, S., Nagar, P.K.: Photosynthetic response to irradiance in Valeriana jatamansi Jones, a threatened understorey medicinal herb of Western Himalaya. - Photosynthetica 40: 625-628, 2002. Go to original source...
    37. Yamashita, N., Ishida, A., Kushima, H., Tanaka, N.: Acclimation to sudden increase in light favoring an invasive over native trees in subtropical islands, Japan. - Oecologia 125: 412-419, 2000. Go to original source...

    Return to the content