biologia plantarum

International journal on Plant Life established by Bohumil Nìmec in 1959

Biologia plantarum 53:373-377, 2009 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-009-0070-7

Ultrastructural responses of the desiccation tolerant plants Xerophyta viscosa and X. retinervis to dehydration and rehydration

A. Bhatt1,*, Y. Naidoo1, S. Gairola1, A. Nicholas1
1 School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

This paper compares the changes in water content, chlorophyll a fluorescence and leaf ultrastructure during dehydration and rehydration in two desiccation tolerant plants Xerophyta viscosa and X. retinervis. Both species showed decreasing quantum efficiency of photosystem 2 (Fv/Fm) with decreasing water content. Extreme water loss observed after 25 d of dehydration resulted in considerable damage of leaf tissue ultrastructure. After rehydration, both species need several days to reconstitute their photosynthetic machinery.

Keywords: drought tolerance; poikilochlorophyllous species; quantum efficiency; relative water content; resurrection plant; transmission electron microscopy
Subjects: chlorophyll fluorescence; chloroplast; leaf ultrastructure; rehydration; relative water content (RWC); transmission electrom microscopy; ultrastructure; water stress; Xerophyta retinervis; Xerophyta viscosa

Received: May 27, 2008; Accepted: April 15, 2009; Published: June 1, 2009  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Bhatt, A., Naidoo, Y., Gairola, S., & Nicholas, A. (2009). Ultrastructural responses of the desiccation tolerant plants Xerophyta viscosa and X. retinervis to dehydration and rehydration. Biologia plantarum, 53(2), 373-377. doi: 10.1007/s10535-009-0070-7
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Bernacchia, G., Salamini, F., Bartels, D.: Molecular characterization of the rehydration process in the resurrection plant Craterostigma plantagineum.-Plant Physiol. 111: 1043-1050, 1996. Go to original source...
    2. Bewley, J.D., Krochko, J.E.: Desiccation tolerance.-In: Lange, O.L., Nobel, P.S., Osmond, C.B., Ziegler, H. (ed.): Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology. New series. Vol. 12B. Pp. 325-378. Springer-Verlag, Berlin 1982. Go to original source...
    3. Bewley, J.D., Oliver, M.J.: Desiccation-tolerance in vegetative plant tissues and seeds: protein synthesis in relation to desiccation and a potential role for protection and repair mechanisms.-In: Osmond, C.B., Somero, G. (ed.): Water and Life: A Comparative Analysis of Water Relationships at the Organismic, Cellular and Molecular Levels. Pp. 141-160. Springer-Verlag, Berlin 1992. Go to original source...
    4. Dace, H., Sherwin, H.W., Illing, N., Farrant, J.M.: Use of metabolic inhibitors to elucidate mechanisms of recovery from desiccation stress in the resurrection plant Xerophyta humilis.-Plant Growth Regul. 24: 171-177, 1998. Go to original source...
    5. Farrant, J.M.: A comparison of patterns of desiccation tolerance among three angiosperm resurrection plant species.-Plant Ecol. 151: 29-39, 2000. Go to original source...
    6. Farrant, J.M., Cooper, K., Kruger, L.A., Sherwin, H.W.: The effect of drying rate on the survival of three desiccation-tolerant angiosperm species.-Ann Bot. 84: 371-379, 1999. Go to original source...
    7. Farrant, J.M., Van der Willigen, C., Loffel, D.A., Bartsch, S., Whittaker, A.: An investigation into the role of light during desiccation of three angiosperm resurrection plants.-Plant Cell Environ. 26: 1275-1286, 2003. Go to original source...
    8. Gaff, D.F.: Desiccation tolerant vascular plants of Southern Africa.-Oecologia. 31: 93-109, 1977. Go to original source...
    9. Gaff, D.F.: Mechanisms of desiccation tolerance in resurrection vascular plants.-In: Basra, A.S., Basra, R.K. (ed.): Mechanisms of Environmental Stress Resistance in Plants. Pp. 43-58. Harwood Academic Publishers, Amsterdam 1997. Go to original source...
    10. Ingle, R.A., Schmidt, U.G., Farrant, J.M., Thomson, J.A., Mundree, S.G.: Proteomic analysis of leaf proteins during dehydration of the resurrection plant Xerophyta viscosa.-Plant Cell Environ. 30: 435-444, 2007. Go to original source...
    11. Mundree, S.G., Farrant, J.M.: Some physiological and molecular insights into the mechanisms of desiccation tolerance in the resurrection plant Xerophyta viscosa Baker. In: Cherry, J.H., Locy, R.D., Rychte, A. (ed.): Plant Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses in Agriculture: Role of Genetic Engineering. Pp. 201-222. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht 2000. Go to original source...
    12. Navari-Izzo, F., Rascio, N.: Plant responses to water deficit conditions.-In: Pessarakli, M. (ed.): Handbook of Plant and Crop Stress. Pp. 231-270. Marcel Dekker, New York 1999. Go to original source...
    13. Porembski, S., Barthlott, W.: Granitic and gneissic outcrops (inselbergs) as centres of diversity for desiccation-tolerant vascular plants.-Plant Ecol. 151: 19-28, 2000. Go to original source...
    14. Rossetto, E.S., Doldor, M.A.H.: Comparison between hydrated and desiccated leaves of a Brazilian resurrection plant. A light and scanning electron microscopy approach.-Rev. Bras Biol. 56: 553-560, 1996.
    15. Sherwin, H.W., Farrant, J.M.: Differences in re-hydration of three desiccation-tolerant angiosperm species.-Ann Bot. 78: 703-710, 1996. Go to original source...
    16. Sherwin, H.W., Farrant, J.M.: Protection mechanisms against excess light in the resurrection plants Craterostigma wilmsii and Xerophyta viscosa.-Plant Growth Regulation. 24: 203-210, 1998. Go to original source...
    17. Tuba, Z., Lichtenthaler, H.K., Csintalan, Z., Pocs, T.: Regreening of desiccated leaves of the poikilo-chlorophyllous Xerophyta scabrida upon rehydration.-J Plant Physiol. 142: 103-108, 1993. Go to original source...
    18. Tuba, Z., Lichtenthaler, H.K., Csintalan, Z., Nagy, Z., Szente, K.: Reconstitution of chlorophylls and photosynthetic CO2 assimilation upon rehydration of the desiccated poikilo-chlorophyllous plant Xerophyta scabrida (Pax) Th. Dur. (et.) Schinz.-Planta. 192: 414-420, 1994. Go to original source...
    19. Tuba, Z., Lichtenthaler, H.K., Csintalan, Z., Nagy, Z., Szente, K.: Loss of chlorophylls, cessation of photosynthetic CO2 assimilation and respiration in the poikilo-chlorophyllous plant Xerophyta scabrida during desiccation.-Physiol Plant. 96: 383-388, 1996. Go to original source...
    20. Van der Willigen, C., Pammenter, N.W., Jaffer, M.A., Mundree, S.G., Farrant, J.M.: An ultrastructural study using anhydrous fixation of Eragrostis nindensis, a resurrection grass with both desiccation-tolerant and sensitive tissues.-Funct. Plant Biol. 30: 1-10, 2003. Go to original source...
    21. Vertucci, C.W., Farrant, J.M.: Acquisition and loss of desiccation tolerance.-In: Kigel, J. Galil, G. (ed.): Seed Development and Germination. Pp. 237-271. Marcel Dekker, New York 1995. Go to original source...
    22. Vicré, M., Lerouxel, O., Farrant, J.M., Lerouge, P., Driouich, A.: Composition and desiccation-induced alterations of the cell wall in the resurrection plant Craterostigma wilmsii.-Physiol Plant. 120: 229-239, 2004. Go to original source...
    23. Whittaker, R.J.: Island Biogeography: Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation.-Oxford University Press, Oxford-New York 2001.

    Return to the content