Summary
Detached wheat leaves incubated in water in darkness rapidly lose starch and are ultrastructurally degenerate by 5 days. Chloroplast ribosomes disappear before cytoplasmic ribosomes and groups of wavy membranes can be detected in both mature and degenerating chloroplasts. Large lipid bodies appear in the cytoplasm and vacuole during senescence, and osmiophilic fibrils and deposits develop in the microbodies. Treatment with kinetin via the transpiration stream markedly delays the loss of starch and maintains, but does not increase, chloroplast and cytoplasmic ribosome populations. ABA accelerates degenerative changes as compared with the water treated control leaves but does not induce any specific ultrastructural effects.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barton, R., 1966: Fine structure of mesophyll cells in senescing leaves ofPhaseolus. Planta71, 314–325.
Brady, C. J., B. D. Patterson, Heng Fong Tung, andR. M. Smillie, 1971: Protein and RNA synthesis during ageing of chloroplasts in wheat leaves. In: Autonomy and biogenesis of mitochondria and chloroplasts, pp. 453–465 (N. K. Boardman, A. W. Linnane, andR. M. Smillie, eds.). Amsterdam: North-Holland.
Butler, R. D., 1967: The fine structure of senescing cotyledons of cucumber. J. exp. Bot.18, 535–543.
El-Antably, H. M. M., P. F. Wareing, andJ. Hillman, 1967: Some physiological responses to D,L abscisin (dormin). Planta73, 74–90.
Gunning, B. E. S., 1963: Developmental processes inAvena chloroplasts. J. appl. Phys.34, 2529.
Harding, J., P. H. Williams, andSharon S. McNabola, 1968: Chlorophyll changes, photosynthesis, and ultrastructure of chloroplasts inAlbugo Candida induced “green islands” on detachedBrassica juncea cotyledons. Canad. J. Bot.46, 1229–1234.
Ingle, J., 1968: Synthesis and stability of chloroplast ribosomal-RNA. Pl. Physiol.43, 1448–1454.
Mittelheuser, Cathryn J., and R. F. M.Van Steveninck: The effects of kinetin and ABA on the ultrastructure of both light and dark induced senescing wheat leaves compared with that of naturally senescing leaves. In: Plant growth substances (D. J.Carr, ed.). New York: Plenum Press, in press.
Reynolds, E. S., 1963: The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol.17, 208–212.
Roux, S. J., andJ. T. McHale, 1968: Ultrastructural changes during the senescence of detached tomato leaves. Phyton25, 113–122.
Shaw, M., andM. S. Manocha, 1965: Fine structure in detached, senescing wheat leaves. Canad. J. Bot.43, 747–755.
Skoog, F., andD. J. Armstrong, 1970: Cytokinins, A. Rev. Pl. Physiol.21, 359–384.
Sorokin, Helen P., 1967: The spherosomes and the reserve fat in plant cells. Amer. J. Bot.5, 1008–1016.
Sprey, B., 1968: Zur Feinstruktur des Plastidenstromas vonHordeum vulgare L. Protoplasma66, 469–479.
Srivastava, B. I. S., andC. Arglebe, 1968: Effect of kinetin on ribosomes of excised barley leaves. Physiologia Pl.21, 851–857.
Yoshida, Y., 1970: Effect of benzimidazole on the senescence of wheat chloroplasts and their boat shape transformation. Pl. Cell Physiol.11, 435–454.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mittelheuser, C.J., Van Steveninck, R.F.M. The ultrastructure of wheat leaves I. Changes due to natural senescence and the effects of kinetin and ABA on detached leaves incubated in the dark. Protoplasma 73, 239–252 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01275598
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01275598