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Specific leaf area in barley: individual leaves versus whole plants
Author(s) -
GUNN S.,
FARRAR J. F.,
COLLIS B. E.,
NASON M.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-8137.1999.00434.x
Subject(s) - specific leaf area , dry weight , biology , shading , hydroponics , stem and leaf display , agronomy , horticulture , botany , photosynthesis , art , visual arts
We have explored the relationships between specific leaf area calculated for a whole plant and its individual leaves. Barley was grown in hydroponics in controlled environment cabinets. Plants were harvested on the basis of physiological age (defined as the number of days after full expansion of leaves on the main stem) and the area and weight of whole, fully expanded, leaves measured and specific leaf area (SLA) of individual leaves or whole plants calculated. Specific leaf area calculated for individual leaves (SLA L ) varied with leaf position and with leaf age after full expansion whereas SLA calculated for whole plants (SLA P ) varied with plant age. The same conclusions were reached whether the results were based on total dry weight or dry weight minus soluble carbohydrates (‘structural weight’). Transferring plants to shade on the day of full expansion of the third leaf on the main stem increased the SLA P , and also SLA L of leaves 3 and 4 on the main stem (leaf 4 being the younger leaf of the two), because of a decrease in the ‘structural weight’ of these leaves. However SLA L of leaf 2 (which was older than leaf 3) was not affected by shading; the effect was confined to leaves developing in the new conditions.