Abstract
Turgor (Ψp) and osmotic potential (Ψs) in epidermal and mesophyll cells, in-situ xylem water potential (Ψ-xyl) and gas exchange were measured during changes of air humidity and light in leaves ofTradescantia virginiana L., Turgor of single cells was determined using the pressure probe. Sap of individual cells was collected with the probe for measuring the freezing-point depression in a nanoliter osmometer. Turgor pressure was by 0.2 to 0.4 MPa larger in mesophyll cells than in epidermal cells. A water-potential gradient, which was dependent on the rate of transpiration, was found between epidermis and mesophyll and between tip and base of the test leaf. Step changes of humidity or light resulted in changes of epidermal and mesophyll turgor (Ψp-epi, Ψp-mes) and could be correlated with the transpiration rate. Osmotic potential was not affected by a step change of humidity or light. For the humidity-step experiments, stomatal conductance (g) increased with increasing epidermal turgor.Δg/Ψp-epi appeared to be constant over a wide range of epidermal turgor pressures. In light-step experiments this type of response was not found and stomatal conductance could increase while epidermal turgor decreased.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- E :
-
transpiration
- g :
-
leaf conductance
- Δw :
-
leaf/air vapour concentration difference
- Ψ-epi:
-
water potential of epidermal cells
- Ψ-mes:
-
water potential of mesophyll cells
- Ψ-xyl:
-
water potential of xylem
- Ψp-epi:
-
turgor pressure of epidermal cells
- Ψp-mes:
-
turgor pressure of mesophyll cells
- Ψs-epi:
-
osmotic potential of epidermal cells
- Ψs-mes:
-
osmotic potential of mesophyll cells
References
Appleby, R.F., Davies, W.J. (1983) The structure and orientation of guard cells in plants showing stomatal responses to changing vapour pressure difference. Ann. Bot.52, 459–468
Brown, J.S., Tanner, C.B. (1981) Alfalfa water potential measurement: a comparison of the pressure chamber and leaf dewpoint hygrometer. Crop Sci.21, 240–244
Cowan, I.R. (1977) Stomatal behaviour and environment. Adv. Bot. Res.4, 117–228
Farquhar, G.D. (1978) Feedforward responses of stomata to humidity. Aust. J. Plant Physiol11, 787–900
Hüsken, D., Steudle, E., Zimmermann, U. (1978) Pressure probe technique for measuring water relations of cells in higher plants. Plant Physiol.61, 158–163
Nonami, H., Boyer, J.S., Steudle, E. (1987) Pressure probe and isopiestic psychrometer measure similar turgor. Plant Physiol.83, 592–595
Raschke, K. (1979) Movements of stomata. In: Encyclopedia of plant physiology, N.S., vol. 7: Physiology of movements, pp. 383–441, Haupt, W., Feinleib, M.E., eds. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Schulze, E.-D. (1986) Carbon dioxide and water vapour exchange in response to drought in the atmosphere and in the soil. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol.37, 247–274
Shackel, K.A. (1984) Theoretical and experimental errors for in-situ measurements of plant water potential. Plant Physiol.75, 766–772
Shackel, K.A. (1987) Direct measurement of turgor and osmotic potential in individual epidermal cells. Independent confirmation of leaf water potential as determined by in-situ psychrometry. Plant Physiol.83, 719–722
Shackel, K.A., Brinckmann, E. (1985) In-situ measurement of epidermal cell turgor, leaf water potential, and gas exchange inTradescantia virginiana L. Plant Physiol.78, 66–70
Sheriff, D.W., Meidner, H. (1975) Water movement into and throughTradescantia virginiana (L.) leaves. J. Exp. Bot.26, 897–902
Tyree, M.T., Jarvis, P.G. (1982) Water in tissues and cells. In: Encyclopedia plant physiology, N.S. vol. 12B: Physiological plant ecology II, pp. 35–77, Lange, O.L., Nobel, P.S., Osmond, C.B., Ziegler, H. eds., Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
von Caemmerer, S., Farquhar, G.D. (1981) Some relation between the biochemistry of photosynthesis and the gas exchange of leaves. Planta153, 376–387
Wiebe, H.H., Brown, R.W., Daniel, R.W., Campell, E.C. (1970) Water potential measurements in trees. Bioscience20, 225–226
Zimmermann, U., Hüsken, D., Schulze, E.-D. (1980) Direct turgor pressure measurements in individual leaves ofTradescantia virginiana. Planta149, 445–453
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Frensch, J., Schulze, ED. The effect of humidity and light on cellular water relations and diffusion conductance of leaves ofTradescantia virginiana L.. Planta 173, 554–562 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00958969
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00958969