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Responses of Trachelospermum asiaticum (Apocynaceae) seedlings to growth in a light intensity gradient

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Ecological Research

Abstract

We recorded the growth of 24 seedlings of Trachelospermum asiaticum, a root climber, placed between a light source and a wall. Shoot length of seedlings planted at the brightest points nearly matched the distance the shoot tips moved toward the wall surface. In contrast, although the seedlings planted at the darkest points did elongate, the tips moved an average distance of only 0.4 cm. Creeping shoots of T. asiaticum planted in brighter environments exhibit negative phototropism, which encourages them to grow rapidly toward dark places, allowing them to reach supporting hosts faster than those that germinate close to the host.

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Acknowledgments

We thank two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. This research was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) (17780120).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Yanagido 1-1, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan

    Shogo Kato, Nobumitsu Kawakubo & Akira Komiyama

  2. Graduate School of Agriculture, Gifu University, Yanagido 1-1, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan

    Takashi Yamamoto

Authors
  1. Shogo Kato
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  2. Takashi Yamamoto
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  3. Nobumitsu Kawakubo
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  4. Akira Komiyama
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Correspondence to Shogo Kato.

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Kato, S., Yamamoto, T., Kawakubo, N. et al. Responses of Trachelospermum asiaticum (Apocynaceae) seedlings to growth in a light intensity gradient. Ecol Res 27, 229–231 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-011-0871-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-011-0871-y

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