Spectral and Dose Dependence of Light-Induced Ion Flux Responses from Maize Leaves and their Involvement in Leaf Expansion Growth

Two types of segments (intact leaf tissue and isolated mesophyll tissue respectively) were isolated from basal (still growing) and tip (non-growing) maize leaf regions. The leaf segments were exposed to different light qualities (blue or red light) and quantities, and net fluxes of K+, Ca2+ and H+ were measured non-invasively using ion-selective vibrating microelectrodes (the MIFE technique). A clear dose dependency of all ion flux responses on both red (RL) and blue (BL) light fluence rate was found. We provide evidence that light-induced K+ flux kinetics are different between growing and non-growing tissues and attribute this difference to the direct involvement of RL-induced K+ flux in turgor-driven leaf expansion growth controlled by the epidermis, as well as to the charge-balancing role of K+ in the leaf mesophyll. Generally, BL was much more efficient in stimulating K+ uptake in the growing basal region compared with RL. We also show a much stronger influence of RL on Ca2+ fluxes in the basal region compared with BL, which argues in favor of the importance of RL in Ca2+ signaling during leaf growth.