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Effects of artificial warming on the structural, physiological, and biochemical changes of maize (Zea mays L.) leaves in northern China

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Abstract

We examined the effects of artificial warming on physiological, biochemical, and structural changes in leaves of maize plants (Zea mays L.) with a field warming experiment in the North China Plain. Stomatal characters, leaf anatomy and ultrastructure, gas exchange, and carbohydrate and mineral nutrition concentrations were examined using light microscopy, electron microscopy, portable photosynthesis system (Licor-6400), and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. We found that artificial warming (about 2 °C) increased both the stomatal index and stomatal size, and thus increased net photosynthesis rate (A), stomatal conductance (g s), and transpiration rate (E). Artificial warming also significantly increased the profile area of chloroplast and mitochondria, but decreased leaf width and thickness, mesophyll thickness, and mesophyll cell size (mainly palisade cell size). In addition, artificial warming also significantly increased the foliar C:N ratio and soluble sugar contents (glucose, fructose, and sucrose), but not the mineral nutrients and starch contents. Our findings suggest that future global warming may affect the maize growth and production in northern China due to the direct warming effects on the structures (anatomy and ultrastructure), biochemical properties and gas exchanges of the maize leaves.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the associate editor Dr. Urs Feller and the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and suggestions on revising the manuscript. This research was partially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2012CB417103 and 2010CB833500). This research was also partially supported by Forestry Department of Sichuan Province (Metering System Development and Application of the Regional Forestry Carbon Sink and Source, 2009-204). The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr. Joshua Caplan and Dr. Patrick Burgess (Rutgers University, USA) for their comments on the draft of the manuscript.

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  1. Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A Datun Road, Beijing, 100101, China

    Yunpu Zheng, Ming Xu, Ruichang Shen & Shuai Qiu

  2. Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China

    Yunpu Zheng, Ruichang Shen & Shuai Qiu

  3. Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis, Rutgers University, 14 College Farm Road, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA

    Yunpu Zheng & Ming Xu

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Correspondence to Yunpu Zheng or Ming Xu.

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Zheng, Y., Xu, M., Shen, R. et al. Effects of artificial warming on the structural, physiological, and biochemical changes of maize (Zea mays L.) leaves in northern China. Acta Physiol Plant 35, 2891–2904 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-013-1320-z

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