Ethylene-induced differential growth of petioles in Arabidopsis. Analyzing natural variation, response kinetics, and regulation.

Plants can reorient their organs in response to changes in environmental conditions. In some species, ethylene can induce resource-directed growth by stimulating a more vertical orientation of the petioles (hyponasty) and enhanced elongation. In this study on Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), we show significant natural variation in ethylene-induced petiole elongation and hyponastic growth.

Species-specific variation in the importance of the spectral quality gradient in canopies as a signal for photosynthetic resource partitioning.

Background And Aims: Plants adjust the distribution of photosynthetic capacity and chlorophyll to canopy density. The importance of the gradient in the red : far-red ratio (R : FR) relative to the irradiance gradient was studied for its perception with respect to this partitioning of photosynthetic resources. Whether the relative importance of these two signals varied between six species of different growth habit (Phaseolus vulgaris, Lysimachia vulgaris, Hedera helix, Ficus benjamina, Carex acutiformis and Brachypodium pinnatum) was investigated further.

Plant movement. Submergence-induced petiole elongation in Rumex palustris depends on hyponastic growth.

The submergence-tolerant species Rumex palustris (Sm.) responds to complete submergence by an increase in petiole angle with the horizontal. This hyponastic growth, in combination with stimulated elongation of the petiole, can bring the leaf tips above the water surface, thus restoring gas exchange and enabling survival.