1
|
Zajączkowska U, Dmitruk D, Sekulska-Nalewajko J, Gocławski J, Dołkin-Lewko A, Łotocka B. The impact of mechanical stress on anatomy, morphology, and gene expression in Urtica dioica L. PLANTA 2024; 260:46. [PMID: 38970646 PMCID: PMC11227470 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-024-04477-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION Mechanical stress induces distinct anatomical, molecular, and morphological changes in Urtica dioica, affecting trichome development, gene expression, and leaf morphology under controlled conditions The experiments were performed on common nettle, a widely known plant characterized by high variability of leaf morphology and responsiveness to mechanical touch. A specially constructed experimental device was used to study the impact of mechanical stress on Urtica dioica plants under strictly controlled parameters of the mechanical stimulus (touching) and environment in the growth chamber. The general anatomical structure of the plants that were touched was similar to that of control plants, but the shape of the internodes' cross section was different. Stress-treated plants showed a distinct four-ribbed structure. However, as the internodes progressed, the shape gradually approached a rectangular form. The epidermis of control plants included stinging, glandular and simple setulose trichomes, but plants that were touched had no stinging trichomes, and setulose trichomes accumulated more callose. Cell wall lignification occurred in the older internodes of the control plants compared to stress-treated ones. Gene analysis revealed upregulation of the expression of the UdTCH1 gene in touched plants compared to control plants. Conversely, the expression of UdERF4 and UdTCH4 was downregulated in stressed plants. These data indicate that the nettle's response to mechanical stress reaches the level of regulatory networks of gene expression. Image analysis revealed reduced leaf area, increased asymmetry and altered contours in touched leaves, especially in advanced growth stages, compared to control plants. Our results indicate that mechanical stress triggers various anatomical, molecular, and morphological changes in nettle; however, further interdisciplinary research is needed to better understand the underlying physiological mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Urszula Zajączkowska
- Department of Forest Botany, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Dominika Dmitruk
- Department of Botany, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Sekulska-Nalewajko
- Institute of Applied Computer Science, Lodz University of Technology, Stefanowskiego 18/22, 90-924, Lodz, Poland
| | - Jarosław Gocławski
- Institute of Applied Computer Science, Lodz University of Technology, Stefanowskiego 18/22, 90-924, Lodz, Poland
| | - Alicja Dołkin-Lewko
- Department of Forest Botany, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Barbara Łotocka
- Department of Botany, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787, Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Xing L, Quan J, Zhang S, Liu X, Bai H, Yue M. Changes induced by parental neighboring touch in the clonal plant Glechoma longituba depend on the light environment. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1358924. [PMID: 38831907 PMCID: PMC11146198 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1358924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Touch by neighboring plants is a common but overlooked environmental variable for plants, especially in dense vegetation. In addition, shade is inevitable for understory plants. The growth performance of clonal plant to the interaction between thigmomorphogenesis and shade response, and their impact on light adaptability is still unknown. Methods At the present study, parental ramets of Glechoma longituba were exposed to two conditions (neighboring touch and shade), and their offspring ramets were in ambient or shaded environment. The phenotype and growth of parental and offspring ramets were analyzed. Results The results showed that neighboring touch of parental ramets regulated the performance of offspring ramets, while the effect depended on the light environment. The parental neighboring touch occurring in ambient environment suppressed the expansion of leaf organ, showed as a shorter petiole and smaller leaf area. Moreover, G. longituba exhibited both shade avoidance and shade tolerance characters to shaded environment, such as increased leaf area ratio and leaf mass ratio, longer specific petiole length and specific stolon length. It was notable that these characters of shade response could be promoted by parental neighboring touch to some extent. Additionally, parental light environment plays an important role in offspring growth, parent with ambient light always had well-grown offspring whatever the light condition of offspring, but the growth of offspring whose parent in shaded environment was inhibited. Finally, for the offspring with shaded environment, the touch between parental ramets in shade environment showed a disadvantage on their growth, but the influence of the touch between parental ramets in ambient environment was slight. Discussion Overall, the interaction of parental neighboring touch and shade environment complicate the growth of understory plants, the performance of plants is the integrated effect of both. These findings are conducive to an in-depth understanding of the environmental adaptation of plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linya Xing
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - Jiaxin Quan
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - Shuqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - Hua Bai
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ming Yue
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
- Xi’an Botanical Garden of Shaanxi Province, Institute of Botany of Shaanxi Province, Xi’an, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Modert M, Speck T, Masselter T. Leaf unfolding and lamina biomechanics in Syngonium podophyllumand Pilea peperomioides. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2024; 19:036022. [PMID: 38621389 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ad3ed4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
In nature, leaves and their laminae vary in shape, appearance and unfolding behaviour. We investigated peltate leaves of two model species with peltate leaves and highly different morphology (Syngonium podophyllumandPilea peperomioides) and two distinct unfolding patterns via time-lapse recordings: we observed successive unfolding of leaf halves inS. podophyllumand simultaneous unfolding inP. peperomioides.Furthermore, we gathered relevant morphological and biomechanical data in juvenile (unfolding) and adult (fully unfolded) leaves of both species by measuring the thickness and the tensile modulus of both lamina and veins as a measure of their stiffness. InS. podophyllum, lamina and veins stiffen after unfolding, which may facilitate unfolding in the less stiff juvenile lamina. Secondary venation highly contributes to stiffness in the adult lamina ofS. podophyllum, while the lamina itself withstands tensile loads best in direction parallel to secondary veins. In contrast, the leaf ofP. peperomioideshas a higher lamina thickness and small, non-prominent venation and is equally stiff in every region and direction, although, as is the case inS. podophyllum, thickness and stiffness increase during ontogeny of leaves from juvenile to adult. It could be shown that (changes in) lamina thickness and stiffness can be well correlated with the unfolding processes of both model plants, so that we conclude that functional lamina morphology in juvenile and adult leaf stages and the ontogenetic transition while unfolding is highly dependent on biomechanical characteristics, though other factors are also taken into consideration and discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Modert
- Plant Biomechanics Group @ Botanic Garden, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT-Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Speck
- Plant Biomechanics Group @ Botanic Garden, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT-Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tom Masselter
- Plant Biomechanics Group @ Botanic Garden, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Baiyin B, Xiang Y, Hu J, Tagawa K, Son JE, Yamada S, Yang Q. Nutrient Solution Flowing Environment Affects Metabolite Synthesis Inducing Root Thigmomorphogenesis of Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L.) in Hydroponics. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16616. [PMID: 38068940 PMCID: PMC10706437 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The principal difference between hydroponics and other substrate cultivation methods is the flowing liquid hydroponic cultivation substrate. Our previous studies have revealed that a suitable flowing environment of nutrient solution promoted root development and plant growth, while an excess flow environment was unfavorable for plants. To explain the thigmomorphogenetic response of excess flow-induced metabolic changes, six groups of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), including two flow conditions and three time periods, were grown. Compared with the plants without flow, the plants with flow showed decreased root fresh weight, total root length, root surface area, and root volume but increased average root diameter and root density. The roots with flow had more upregulated metabolites than those without flow, suggesting that the flow may trigger metabolic synthesis and activity. Seventy-nine common differential metabolites among six groups were screened, and enrichment analysis showed the most significant enrichment in the arginine biosynthesis pathway. Arginine was present in all the groups and exhibited greater concentrations in roots with flow than without flow. It can be speculated from the results that a high-flowing environment of nutrient solution promotes arginine synthesis, resulting in changes in root morphology. The findings provide insights on root thigmomorphogenesis affected by its growing conditions and help understand how plants respond to environmental mechanical forces.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bateer Baiyin
- Research Center for Smart Horticulture Engineering, Chengdu National Agricultural Science & Technology Center, Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China; (B.B.); (Y.X.); (J.H.)
| | - Yue Xiang
- Research Center for Smart Horticulture Engineering, Chengdu National Agricultural Science & Technology Center, Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China; (B.B.); (Y.X.); (J.H.)
| | - Jiangtao Hu
- Research Center for Smart Horticulture Engineering, Chengdu National Agricultural Science & Technology Center, Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China; (B.B.); (Y.X.); (J.H.)
| | - Kotaro Tagawa
- Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8553, Japan; (K.T.); (S.Y.)
| | - Jung Eek Son
- Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Bioresources, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea;
| | - Satoshi Yamada
- Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8553, Japan; (K.T.); (S.Y.)
| | - Qichang Yang
- Research Center for Smart Horticulture Engineering, Chengdu National Agricultural Science & Technology Center, Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China; (B.B.); (Y.X.); (J.H.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Shiba M, Mizuno T, Fukuda T. Effect of strong wind on laminas and petioles of Farfugium japonicum (L.) Kitam. var. japonicum (Asteraceae). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1182266. [PMID: 37457339 PMCID: PMC10345509 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1182266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Farfugium japonicum (L.) Kitam. var. japonicum grows mainly in the coastal areas of Japan. Meteorological recording data from natural habitats were used to investigate the factors associated with the laminas and petioles of radical leaves of F. japonicum var. japonicum to avoid or resist higher wind stress. Our morphological and mechanical results indicated that petiole length and petiole cross-sectional area had a weak correlation with wind speed and breaking strength, and the petiole second area moment of inertia did not differ significantly among populations. However, both lamina area and petiole length per petiole cross-sectional area decreased with increasing wind speed, indicating that F. japonicum var. japonicum resisted or avoided an increase in wind speed outdoors by reducing the lamina area and petiole length per petiole cross-sectional area without qualitative changes in their petioles. The results of this study indicated that densely distributed recording stations of the Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS) by the Japan Meteorological Agency can be used for environmental adaptation studies of plants in the field using nearby plant populations.
Collapse
|
6
|
Macek D, Holthusen H, Rjosk A, Ritzert S, Lautenschläger T, Neinhuis C, Simon JW, Reese S. Mechanical investigations of the peltate leaf of Stephania japonica (Menispermaceae): Experiments and a continuum mechanical material model. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:994320. [PMID: 36777539 PMCID: PMC9911874 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.994320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Stephania japonica is a slender climbing plant with peltate, triangular-ovate leaves. Not many research efforts have been devoted to investigate the anatomy and the mechanical properties of this type of leaf shape. In this study, displacement driven tensile tests with three cycles on different displacement levels are performed on petioles, venation and intercostal areas of the Stephania japonica leaves. Furthermore, compression tests in longitudinal direction are performed on petioles. The mechanical experiments are combined with light microscopy and X-ray tomography. The experiments show, that these plant organs and tissues behave in the finite strain range in a viscoelastic manner. Based on the results of the light microscopy and X-ray tomography, the plant tissue can be considered as a matrix material reinforced by fibers. Therefore, a continuum mechanical anisotropic viscoelastic material model at finite deformations is proposed to model such behavior. The anisotropy is specified as the so-called transverse isotropy, where the behavior in the plane perpendicular to the fibers is assumed to be isotropic. The model is obtained by postulating a Helmholtz free energy, which is split additively into an elastic and an inelastic part. Both parts of the energy depend on structural tensors to account for the transversely isotropic material behavior. The evolution equations for the internal variables, e.g. inelastic deformations, are chosen in a physically meaningful way that always fulfills the second law of thermodynamics. The proposed model is calibrated against experimental data, and the material parameters are identified. The model can be used for finite element simulations of this type of leaf shape, which is left open for the future work.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Domen Macek
- Institute of Applied Mechanics, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Hagen Holthusen
- Institute of Applied Mechanics, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Annabell Rjosk
- Institute of Botany, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stephan Ritzert
- Institute of Applied Mechanics, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | | | | | - Jaan-Willem Simon
- Institute of Applied Mechanics, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Stefanie Reese
- Institute of Applied Mechanics, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Rjosk A, Neinhuis C, Lautenschläger T. Anatomy and Biomechanics of Peltate Begonia Leaves-Comparative Case Studies. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11233297. [PMID: 36501333 PMCID: PMC9738572 DOI: 10.3390/plants11233297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Plants are exposed to various external stresses influencing physiology, anatomy, and morphology. Shape, geometry, and size of shoots and leaves are particularly affected. Among the latter, peltate leaves are not very common and so far, only few studies focused on their properties. In this case study, four Begonia species with different leaf shapes and petiole attachment points were analyzed regarding their leaf morphology, anatomy, and biomechanical properties. One to two plants per species were examined. In all four species, the petiole showed differently sized vascular bundles arranged in a peripheral ring and subepidermal collenchyma. These anatomical characteristics, low leaf dry mass, and low amount of lignified tissue in the petiole point toward turgor pressure as crucial for leaf stability. The petiole-lamina transition zone shows a different organization in leaves with a more central (peltate) and lateral petiole insertion. While in non-peltate leaves simple fiber branching is present, peltate leaves show a more complex reticulate fiber arrangement. Tensile and bending tests revealed similar structural Young's moduli in all species for intercostal areas and venation, but differences in the petiole. The analysis of the leaves highlights the properties of petiole and the petiole-lamina transition zone that are needed to resist external stresses.
Collapse
|
8
|
Meder F, Naselli GA, Mazzolai B. Wind dynamics and leaf motion: Approaching the design of high-tech devices for energy harvesting for operation on plant leaves. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:994429. [PMID: 36388505 PMCID: PMC9644130 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.994429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
High-tech sensors, energy harvesters, and robots are increasingly being developed for operation on plant leaves. This introduces an extra load which the leaf must withstand, often under further dynamic forces like wind. Here, we took the example of mechanical energy harvesters that consist of flat artificial "leaves" fixed on the petioles of N. oleander, converting wind energy into electricity. We developed a combined experimental and computational approach to describe the static and dynamic mechanics of the natural and artificial leaves individually and join them together in the typical energy harvesting configuration. The model, in which the leaves are torsional springs with flexible petioles and rigid lamina deforming under the effect of gravity and wind, enables us to design the artificial device in terms of weight, flexibility, and dimensions based on the mechanical properties of the plant leaf. Moreover, it predicts the dynamic motions of the leaf-artificial leaf combination, causing the mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion at a given wind speed. The computational results were validated in dynamic experiments measuring the electrical output of the plant-hybrid energy harvester. Our approach enables us to design the artificial structure for damage-safe operation on leaves (avoiding overloading caused by the interaction between leaves and/or by the wind) and suggests how to improve the combined leaf oscillations affecting the energy harvesting performance. We furthermore discuss how the mathematical model could be extended in future works. In summary, this is a first approach to improve the adaptation of artificial devices to plants, advance their performance, and to counteract damage by mathematical modelling in the device design phase.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Meder
- *Correspondence: Fabian Meder, ; Giovanna Adele Naselli, ; Barbara Mazzolai,
| | | | - Barbara Mazzolai
- *Correspondence: Fabian Meder, ; Giovanna Adele Naselli, ; Barbara Mazzolai,
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Bauer U, Poppinga S. New insights and opportunities from taking a biomechanical perspective on plant ecology. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2022; 73:1063-1066. [PMID: 35199169 PMCID: PMC8866229 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Bauer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Simon Poppinga
- Botanical Garden, Technical University of Darmstadt, Department of Biology, Schnittspahnstraße 2, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| |
Collapse
|