Environmental conditions, not sugar export efficiency, limit the length of conifer leaves

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

Environmental conditions, not sugar export efficiency, limit the length of conifer leaves. / Han, Xiaoyu; Turgeon, Robert; Schulz, Alexander; Liesche, Johannes.

In: Tree Physiology, Vol. 39, No. 2, 02.2019, p. 312-319.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Han, X, Turgeon, R, Schulz, A & Liesche, J 2019, 'Environmental conditions, not sugar export efficiency, limit the length of conifer leaves', Tree Physiology, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 312-319. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpy056

APA

Han, X., Turgeon, R., Schulz, A., & Liesche, J. (2019). Environmental conditions, not sugar export efficiency, limit the length of conifer leaves. Tree Physiology, 39(2), 312-319. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpy056

Vancouver

Han X, Turgeon R, Schulz A, Liesche J. Environmental conditions, not sugar export efficiency, limit the length of conifer leaves. Tree Physiology. 2019 Feb;39(2):312-319. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpy056

Author

Han, Xiaoyu ; Turgeon, Robert ; Schulz, Alexander ; Liesche, Johannes. / Environmental conditions, not sugar export efficiency, limit the length of conifer leaves. In: Tree Physiology. 2019 ; Vol. 39, No. 2. pp. 312-319.

Bibtex

@article{bcdcb342b9b04cd1a0843facb8b5a49e,
title = "Environmental conditions, not sugar export efficiency, limit the length of conifer leaves",
abstract = "Most conifer species have needle-shaped leaves that are only a few centimeters long. In general, variation in leaf size has been associated with environmental factors, such as cold or drought stress. However, it has recently been proposed that sugar export efficiency is the limiting factor for conifer needle length, based on the results obtained using a mathematical model of phloem transport. Here, phloem transport rates in long conifer needles were experimentally determined to test if the mathematical model accurately represents phloem transport. The validity of the model's assumptions was tested by anatomical analyses and sugar quantification. Furthermore, various environmental and physiological factors were tested for their correlation with needle length. The results indicate that needle length is not limited by sugar transport efficiency, but, instead, by winter temperatures and light availability. The identification of factors that influence needle size is instrumental for using this trait as a variable in breeding programs.",
keywords = "carbohydrate allocation, conifers, environmental adaptation, gymnosperms, needle, phloem loading, pine trees, sugar transport",
author = "Xiaoyu Han and Robert Turgeon and Alexander Schulz and Johannes Liesche",
year = "2019",
month = feb,
doi = "10.1093/treephys/tpy056",
language = "English",
volume = "39",
pages = "312--319",
journal = "Tree Physiology",
issn = "0829-318X",
publisher = "Oxford University Press",
number = "2",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Environmental conditions, not sugar export efficiency, limit the length of conifer leaves

AU - Han, Xiaoyu

AU - Turgeon, Robert

AU - Schulz, Alexander

AU - Liesche, Johannes

PY - 2019/2

Y1 - 2019/2

N2 - Most conifer species have needle-shaped leaves that are only a few centimeters long. In general, variation in leaf size has been associated with environmental factors, such as cold or drought stress. However, it has recently been proposed that sugar export efficiency is the limiting factor for conifer needle length, based on the results obtained using a mathematical model of phloem transport. Here, phloem transport rates in long conifer needles were experimentally determined to test if the mathematical model accurately represents phloem transport. The validity of the model's assumptions was tested by anatomical analyses and sugar quantification. Furthermore, various environmental and physiological factors were tested for their correlation with needle length. The results indicate that needle length is not limited by sugar transport efficiency, but, instead, by winter temperatures and light availability. The identification of factors that influence needle size is instrumental for using this trait as a variable in breeding programs.

AB - Most conifer species have needle-shaped leaves that are only a few centimeters long. In general, variation in leaf size has been associated with environmental factors, such as cold or drought stress. However, it has recently been proposed that sugar export efficiency is the limiting factor for conifer needle length, based on the results obtained using a mathematical model of phloem transport. Here, phloem transport rates in long conifer needles were experimentally determined to test if the mathematical model accurately represents phloem transport. The validity of the model's assumptions was tested by anatomical analyses and sugar quantification. Furthermore, various environmental and physiological factors were tested for their correlation with needle length. The results indicate that needle length is not limited by sugar transport efficiency, but, instead, by winter temperatures and light availability. The identification of factors that influence needle size is instrumental for using this trait as a variable in breeding programs.

KW - carbohydrate allocation

KW - conifers

KW - environmental adaptation

KW - gymnosperms

KW - needle

KW - phloem loading

KW - pine trees

KW - sugar transport

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85062606171&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/treephys/tpy056

DO - 10.1093/treephys/tpy056

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 29850887

AN - SCOPUS:85062606171

VL - 39

SP - 312

EP - 319

JO - Tree Physiology

JF - Tree Physiology

SN - 0829-318X

IS - 2

ER -

ID: 216208214