Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Morphological and ultrastructural aspects of dehydration and rehydration in leaves of Sporobolus stapfianus

  • Published:
Plant Growth Regulation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The resurrection species Sporobolus stapfianus Gandoger has been studied by LM, TEM and SEM in order to define the leaf morphology and fine structure and to analyse the cellular changes occurring during the processes of dehydration and rehydration of the plant. Some characteristics of the fully hydrated leaf and some ultrastructural and physiological events which take place during leaf wilting are discussed in relation to their possible role in plant desiccation-tolerance.

The leaves of S. stapfianus show several characteristics common among xerophytic species. In the resurrection leaf they could play a role in slowing down the drying rate, thus leaving time to activate the mechanisms protecting the cell structures against drought damage. Actually, the S. stapfianus leaves do not undergo important cellular alterations during dehydration. The chloroplasts, in particular, retain part of their photosynthetic pigments and thylakoid membranes. Upon rewatering leaf recovery is rather fast and the tissue structure and cell organization of the fully hydrated state are already regained after two days.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bartley Mand Hallam ND (1979) Changes in the fine structure of the desiccation-tolerant sedge Coleochloa setifera (Ridley) Gilly under water stress. Austr. J. Bot. 27: 531-545

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bartels D, Schneider K, Terstappen G, Piatkowski D and Salamini F (1990) Molecular cloning of abscisic acid-modulated genes which are induced during desiccation of the resurrection plant Craterostigma plantagineum. Planta 181: 27-34

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bewley JD (1979) Physiological aspects of desiccation-tolerance. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 30: 195-238

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bewley JD and Oliver MJ (1992) Desiccation-tolerance in vegetative plant tissues and seeds: Protein synthesis in relation to desiccation and a potential role for protection and repair mechanisms. In: Osmond CB Somero G and Bolis CL (eds) Water and Life: A Comparative Analysis of Water Relationship at the Organismic, Cellular and Molecular Levels, pp 141-160. Berlin: Springer Verlag

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bianchi G, Gamba A, Murelli C, Salamini F and Bartels D (1992) Low molecular weight solutes in desiccated and ABA treated calli and leaves of Craterostigma plantagineum. Phytochemistry 31: 1917-1922

    Google Scholar 

  6. Drennan PM, Smith MT, Goldsworthy D and van Staden J (1993) The occurrence of trehalose in the leaves of the desiccation-tolerant angiosperm Myrothamnus flabellifolius Welw. J. Plant Physiol. 142: 493-496

    Google Scholar 

  7. Durand JL, Onillon B, Schnyder H and Rademacher I (1995) Drought effects on cellular and spatial parameters of leaf growth in tall fescue. J. Exp. Bot. 46: 1147-1155

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hallam ND and Luff SE (1980) Fine structural changes in the leaves of the desiccation-tolerant plant Talbotia elegans during extreme water stress. Bot. Gaz. 141: 180-187

    Google Scholar 

  9. Heterington SE, Hallam ND and Smillie RM (1982) Ultrastructural and compositional changes in chloroplast thylakoids of leaves of Borya nitida during humidity-sensitive degreening. Austr. J. Plant Physiol. 9: 601-609

    Google Scholar 

  10. Kaiser K (1985) Sugar contents of leaves of desiccationsensitive and desiccation-tolerant plants. Naturwiss. 72: 608- 609

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kuang J, Gaff DF, Gianello RD, Blomstedt CK, Neale AD and Hamill JD (1995) Changes in in vivo protein complements in drying leaves of the desiccation-tolerant grass Sporobolus stapfianus and the desiccation-sensitive grass Sporobolus pyramidalis. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 22: 1027-1034

    Google Scholar 

  12. Marinone Albini F, Murelli C, Patritti G, Rovati M, Zienna P and Finzi PV (1994) Low-molecular weight substances from the resurrection plant Sporobolus stapfianus. Phytochemistry 37: 137-142

    Google Scholar 

  13. Markoska YK, Tsonev TD, Kimenov GP and Tutekova AA (1994) Physiological changes in higher poikilohydric plants Haberlea rhodopensis Friv. and Ramonda serbica Panc. during drought and rewatering at different light regimes. J. Plant Physiol. 144: 100-108

    Google Scholar 

  14. Mendez MP, Jimenez MS, Morales D, Perin V and Rascio N (1994) Anatomical and ultrastructural leaf characteristics of some plants from the Canary Islands. Cytobios 77: 87-100

    Google Scholar 

  15. Metcalfe RC (1960) Anatomy of the Monocotyledons. I. Gramineae. New York: Clarendon Press

    Google Scholar 

  16. Meyer BS and Anderson DB (1952) Plant Physiology. 2nd ed. New York: D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Oliver MJ (1996) Desiccation tolerance in vegetative plant cells. Physiol. Plant. 97: 779-787

    Google Scholar 

  18. Porra RJ, Thompson WA, Kriedermann PE (1989) Determination of accurate extinction coefficients and simultaneous equations for assaying chlorophylls a and b extracted with four different solvents: Verification of the concentration of chlorophyll standards by atomic spectroscopy. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 975: 384-394

    Google Scholar 

  19. Prendergast HDV and Hattersley PW (1987) Australian C4 grasses (Poaceae): Leaf blade anatomical features in relation to C4 acid decarboxylation types. Austr. J. Bot. 35: 355- 382

    Google Scholar 

  20. Schonbeck MW and Bewley JD (1981) Responses of the moss Tortula ruralis to the desiccation treatements. I. Effects ofminimum water content and rates of dehydration and rehydration. Can. J. Bot. 59: 2698-2706

    Google Scholar 

  21. Schwab KB and Gaff DF (1986) Influence of compatible solutes on soluble enzymes from desiccation-tolerant Sporobolus stapfianus and desiccation sensitive Sporobolus pyramidalis. J. Plant Physiol. 137: 208-215

    Google Scholar 

  22. Schwab KB and Heber U(1984) Thylakoid membrane stability in drought-tolerant and drought-sensitive plants. Planta 161: 37-45

    Google Scholar 

  23. Schwab KB, Schreiber U and Heber U (1989) Response of photosynthesis and respiration of resurrection plants to desiccation and rehydration. Planta 177: 217-227

    Google Scholar 

  24. Sgherri CLM, Loggini B, Puliga S and Navari-Izzo F (1994) Antioxidant system in Sporobolus stapfianus: Changes in response to desiccation and rehydration. Phytochemistry 35: 561-565

    Google Scholar 

  25. Sherwin HW and Farrant JM (1996) Differences in rehydration of three desiccation-tolerant angiosperm species. Ann. Bot. 78: 703-710

    Google Scholar 

  26. Suau R, Cuevas A, Valpuesta V and Reid MS (1991) Arbutin and sucrose in the leaves of the resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia. Phytochemistry 30: 2555-2556

    Google Scholar 

  27. Taiz L and Zeiger E (1991) Plant Physiology. Redwood City, California: The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing. Comp., Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Tuba Z, Lichtenthaler HK, Maroti I and Csintalan Z (1993) Resynthesis of thylakoids and functional chloroplasts in the desiccated leaves of the poikilochlorophyllous plant Xerophyta scabrida upon rehydration. J. Plant Physiol. 142: 742-748

    Google Scholar 

  29. Wellburn FAM and Wellburn AR (1976) Novel chloroplasts and unusual cellular ultrastructure in the “resurrection plant” Myrothamnus flabellifolia Welw. (Myrothamnaceae). Bot. J. Linnean Soc. 72: 51-54

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Biologia, Universitá di Padova, Via Trieste 75, I-35121, Padova, Italy

    Francesca Dalla Vecchia & Nicoletta Rascio

  2. Dipartimento di Agronomia e Produzioni Erbacee, Universitá di Firenze, Piazzale delle Cascine 18, I-50144, Firenze, Italy

    Toufik El Asmar & Concetta Vazzana

  3. Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Lab., Universitá di Firenze, Piazzale delle Cascine 18, I-50144, Firenze, Italy

    Roberto Calamassi

Authors
  1. Francesca Dalla Vecchia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Toufik El Asmar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Roberto Calamassi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Nicoletta Rascio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Concetta Vazzana
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vecchia, F.D., El Asmar, T., Calamassi, R. et al. Morphological and ultrastructural aspects of dehydration and rehydration in leaves of Sporobolus stapfianus. Plant Growth Regulation 24, 219–228 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005853527769

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005853527769

Search

Navigation