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Association of Eucalyptus globulus leaf anatomy with susceptibility to Teratosphaeria leaf disease
Author(s) -
Smith A. H.,
Potts B. M.,
Ratkowsky D. A.,
Pinkard E. A.,
Mohammed C. L.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
forest pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.535
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1439-0329
pISSN - 1437-4781
DOI - 10.1111/efp.12395
Subject(s) - eucalyptus globulus , biology , wax , cuticle (hair) , botany , palisade cell , eucalyptus , myrtaceae , epidermis (zoology) , horticulture , canopy , spongy tissue , plant cuticle , anatomy , biochemistry
Summary Resistance of Eucalyptus globulus juvenile foliage to Teratosphaeria leaf disease ( TLD ) damage has been shown to be under genetic control. Constitutive traits of juvenile leaves such as stomatal density (counted with wax on and with wax removed), total phenolics, total leaf wax, leaf mass per area ( LMA ) and leaf anatomical features were assessed to determine differences between pairs of resistant and susceptible families. Anatomic features assessed included cuticle, epidermis, palisade spongy mesophyll and total leaf thickness, as well as palisade cell size, shape and intercellular airspace. One interprovenance, one intraprovenance and two within‐family contrasts were used to compare resistant and susceptible pairs of families of Australian origin. The more resistant families had a significantly higher LMA and smaller percentage airspace compared with susceptible families. It is argued that one of the mechanisms by which E. globulus resists TLD involves the closely packed palisade mesophyll cells that increases LMA and reduces airspace, thereby restricting pathogen spread once infection has occurred.