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Nunes SC, Gomes AP, Nunes P, Fernandes M, Maia A, Bacelar E, Rocha J, Cruz R, Boatto A, Ravishankar AP, Casal S, Anand S, Bermudez VDZ, Crespí AL. Leaf surfaces and neolithization - the case of Arundo donax L. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:999252. [PMID: 36275521 PMCID: PMC9581231 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.999252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Arundo donax L. (Arundinoideae subfamily, Poaceae family) is a sub-tropical and temperate climate reed that grows in arid and semi-arid environmental conditions, from eastern China to the Mediterranean basin, suggesting potential adaptations at the epicuticular level. A thorough physical-chemical examination of the adaxial and abaxial surfaces of A. donax leaf was performed herein in an attempt to track such chemophenetic adaptations. This sort of approach is of the utmost importance for the current debate about the hypothetical invasiveness of this species in the Mediterranean basin versus its natural colonization along the Plio-Pleistocene period. We concluded that the leaf surfaces contain, apart from stomata, prickles, and long, thin trichomes, and silicon-rich tetralobate phytolits. Chemically, the dominating elements in the leaf ashes are oxygen and potassium; minor amounts of calcium, silicon, magnesium, phosphorous, sulphur, and chlorine were also detected. In both surfaces the epicuticular waxes (whose density is higher in the adaxial surface than in the abaxial surface) form randomly orientated platelets, with irregular shape and variable size, and aggregated rodlets with variable diameter around the stomata. In the case of green mature leaves, the dominating organic compounds of the epicuticular waxes of both surfaces are triterpenoids. Both surfaces feature identical hydrophobic behaviour, and exhibit the same total transmittance, total reflectance, and absorption of incident light. The above findings suggest easy growth of the plant, remarkable epidermic robustness of the leaf, and control of water loss. These chemophenetic characteristics and human influence support a neolithization process of this species along the Mediterranean basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sílvia C. Nunes
- Fib EnTech - Fiber Materials and Environmental Technologies, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Ana P. Gomes
- Fib EnTech - Fiber Materials and Environmental Technologies, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Paulo Nunes
- Centro de Química Vila Real (CQ-VR), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Mariana Fernandes
- Centro de Química Vila Real (CQ-VR), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Ana Maia
- Fib EnTech - Fiber Materials and Environmental Technologies, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Eunice Bacelar
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), Department of Biology and Environment, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - João Rocha
- Centro de Química Vila Real (CQ-VR), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
- Herbarium and Botanical Garden, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Rebeca Cruz
- Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV) of the Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE), Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bromatology and Hydrology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Aline Boatto
- Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV) of the Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE), Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bromatology and Hydrology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ajith P. Ravishankar
- Department of Applied Physics, School of Engineering Sciences, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Albanova University Centre, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Susana Casal
- Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV) of the Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE), Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bromatology and Hydrology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Srinivasan Anand
- Department of Applied Physics, School of Engineering Sciences, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Albanova University Centre, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Verónica de Zea Bermudez
- Centro de Química Vila Real (CQ-VR), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - António L. Crespí
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), Department of Biology and Environment, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
- Herbarium and Botanical Garden, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
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