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EFFECTS OF FERTILIZATION ON EPICUTICULAR WAX MORPHOLOGY OF NEEDLE LEAVES OF DOUGLAS FIR, PSEUDOTSUGA MENZIESII (PINACEAE)
Author(s) -
Chiu ShauTing,
Anton Lori H.,
Ewers Frank W.,
Hammerschmidt Raymond,
Pregitzer Kurt S.
Publication year - 1992
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.1537-2197.1992.tb13632.x
Subject(s) - wax , epicuticular wax , pinaceae , botany , biology , human fertilization , morphology (biology) , horticulture , pinus <genus> , agronomy , biochemistry , genetics
Fertilized stands of Pseudotsuga menziesii were found to have glaucous needles. We investigated the morphological and quantitative characteristics of the epicuticular waxes of needles of fertilized and control trees. Glaucousness was caused by ornate tubular epicuticular wax. Dipping needles in chloroform, which dissolves waxes, eliminated the glaucous appearance. Based on cryostage scanning electron microscopic observations, the epicuticular waxes in the nonstomatal region were much more ornate on the needles of the fertilized trees (experimental needles) than in unfertilized trees (control needles). The stomatal region in both experimental and control needles showed similarly ornate waxes. Quantities of waxes were similar in experimental and control needles. The glaucousness was not the result of greater quantities of wax; rather, fertilization altered wax morphology in the nonstomatal regions.