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LEAF REMOVAL AND THE APPARENT EFFECTS OF ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRAINTS ON DEVELOPMENT IN CAPSICUM ANNUUM
Author(s) -
Thomas Lisa P.,
Watson Maxine A.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1988.tb13506.x
Subject(s) - biology , capsicum annuum , botany , horticulture , pepper
The vascular architecture of plants may constrain the pattern of resource movement among organs, resulting in morphological subunits that behave relatively autonomously, particularly with respect to carbon. Systematic and random patterns of leaf removal were imposed on Capsicum annuum plants to examine how architectural constraints may affect the development of sympodial branch systems. Removing leaves within a branch system resulted in a significant decrease in further sympodial growth by that branch, compared to a random pattern of leaf removal or to no removal at all. Data are consistent with the hypothesis that individual branch systems of Capsicum function as integrated physiological units (IPUs). Developmental potential appears to be controlled within these IPUs.