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Specific leaf area in barley: individual leaves versus whole plants

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 1999

S. GUNN ,
J. F. FARRAR ,
B. E. COLLIS  and
M. NASON
S. GUNN
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
J. F. FARRAR
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
B. E. COLLIS
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
M. NASON
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
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Abstract

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 (SLAL) varied with leaf position and with leaf age after full expansion whereas SLA calculated for whole plants (SLAP) 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 SLAP, and also SLAL 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 SLAL 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.

Keywords

specific leaf areabarleydry weightstructural dry weightshade
Type
Research Article
Information
The New Phytologist , Volume 143 , Issue 1 , July 1999 , pp. 45 - 51
Copyright
Trustees of the New Phytologist 1999

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