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Wei C, Luo G, Jin Z, Li J, Li Y. Physiological and Structural Changes in Leaves of Platycrater arguta Seedlings Exposed to Increasing Light Intensities. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1263. [PMID: 38732478 PMCID: PMC11085374 DOI: 10.3390/plants13091263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the light adaptation of plants is critical for conservation. Platycrater arguta, an endangered deciduous shrub endemic to East Asia, possesses high ornamental and phylogeographic value. However, the weak environmental adaptability of P. arguta species has limited its general growth and conservation. To obtain a deeper understanding of the P. arguta growth conditions, we examined the leaf morphology and physiology via anatomical and chloroplast ultrastructural analyses following exposure to different natural light intensities (full light, 40%, and 10%). The findings indicated that P. arguta seedings in the 10% light intensity had significantly improved leaf morphological characteristics and specific leaf area compared to those exposed to other intensities. The net photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll (Chl) content, photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE), and photosynthetic phosphorus use efficiency (PPUE) exhibited marked increases at a 10% light intensity compared to both 40% light and full light intensities, whereas the light compensation point and dark respiration levels reached their lowest values under the 10% light condition. With reduced light, leaf thickness, palisade tissue, spongy tissue, and stomatal density significantly decreased, whereas the stomatal length, stomatal width, and stomatal aperture were significantly elevated. When exposed to 10% light intensity, the ultrastructure of chloroplasts was well developed, chloroplasts and starch grain size, the number of grana, and thylakoids all increased significantly, while the number of plastoglobules was significantly reduced. Relative distance phenotypic plasticity index analysis exhibited that P. arguta adapts to varying light environments predominantly by adjusting PPUE, Chl b, PNUE, chloroplast area, and the activity of PSII reaction centers. We proposed that P. arguta efficiently utilizes low light to reconfigure its energy metabolism by regulating its leaf structure, photosynthetic capacity, nutrient use efficiency, and chloroplast development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Wei
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, School of Life Sciences, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China; (C.W.); (G.L.); (Z.J.); (J.L.)
- Institute of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
| | - Guangyu Luo
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, School of Life Sciences, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China; (C.W.); (G.L.); (Z.J.); (J.L.)
- Institute of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
| | - Zexin Jin
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, School of Life Sciences, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China; (C.W.); (G.L.); (Z.J.); (J.L.)
- Institute of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
| | - Junmin Li
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, School of Life Sciences, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China; (C.W.); (G.L.); (Z.J.); (J.L.)
- Institute of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
| | - Yueling Li
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, School of Life Sciences, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China; (C.W.); (G.L.); (Z.J.); (J.L.)
- Institute of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
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Huang X, Guo W, Yang L, Zou Z, Zhang X, Addo-Danso SD, Zhou L, Li S. Effects of Drought Stress on Non-Structural Carbohydrates in Different Organs of Cunninghamia lanceolata. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2477. [PMID: 37447038 DOI: 10.3390/plants12132477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
The Chinese fir Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. is an important timber conifer species in China. Much has been studied about Chinese fir, but the distribution of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) among different organs (needles, branch, stem, and roots) under drought stress remains poorly understood. In this study, we used one-year-old C. lanceolata plantlets to evaluate the effects of simulated drought under four water regimes, i.e., adequate water or control, light drought, moderate drought, and severe drought stress corresponding to 80%, 60%, 50%, and 40%, respectively of soil field maximum capacity on various NSCs in the needles, branch, stem and roots. The degree and duration of drought stress had significant effects on fructose, glucose, sucrose, soluble sugar, starch, and NSC content in various organs (p < 0.05). Fructose content increased in stem xylem, stem phloem, and leaves. Glucose and sucrose content declined in stem and branch xylem under light drought stress and moderate drought stress, and increased under severe drought stress conditions. Soluble sugars content declined, and starch content increased in leaf and branch phloem, but the latter could not compensate for soluble sugar consumption in the whole plant, and therefore, total NSCs decreased. Correlation analysis showed that a significant positive correlation existed in the soluble sugar content between leaves and roots, and between xylem and phloem in the stems and branches. Chinese fir appears to have different NSCs distribution strategies in response to drought stress, viz., allocating more soluble sugars to fine roots and increasing starch content in the needles, as well as ensuring osmosis to prevent xylem embolism. Our study may broaden the understanding of the various mechanisms that Chinese fir and other plants have to enhance their tolerance to drought stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Huang
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Chinese Fir Engineering Technology Research Center of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou 350002, China
- University Key Laboratory of Forest Stress Physiology, Ecology and Molecular Biology of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Wenjuan Guo
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Chinese Fir Engineering Technology Research Center of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou 350002, China
- University Key Laboratory of Forest Stress Physiology, Ecology and Molecular Biology of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Li Yang
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Chinese Fir Engineering Technology Research Center of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou 350002, China
- University Key Laboratory of Forest Stress Physiology, Ecology and Molecular Biology of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zhiguang Zou
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Chinese Fir Engineering Technology Research Center of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou 350002, China
- University Key Laboratory of Forest Stress Physiology, Ecology and Molecular Biology of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xinyang Zhang
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Shalom Daniel Addo-Danso
- Forests and Climate Change Division, CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, Kumasi P.O. Box UP 63 KNUST, Ghana
| | - Lili Zhou
- Chinese Fir Engineering Technology Research Center of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou 350002, China
- College of Geography and Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou 350108, China
| | - Shubin Li
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Chinese Fir Engineering Technology Research Center of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou 350002, China
- University Key Laboratory of Forest Stress Physiology, Ecology and Molecular Biology of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
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