AI Article Synopsis
- Plants can transfer light from their leaves to their roots, which might help root growth and support helpful microorganisms.
- The study found that light mainly travels through a specific layer in maize roots called the endodermis, which is abundant in suberin, a natural polymer.
- Experiments using suberin from cork showed that while its raw form didn't greatly enhance light transmission, repolymerized suberin significantly improved light transmission in the visible spectrum but reduced it in the infrared range.
Article Abstract
Plants conduct light from their aboveground tissues belowground to their root system. This phenomenon may influence root growth and perhaps serve to stimulate natural biological functions of the microorganisms associating with them. Here we show that light transmission in maize roots largely occurs within the endodermis, a region rich in suberin polyester biopolymers. Using cork as a natural resource rich in suberin polymers, we extracted, depolymerized, and examined light transmission in the visible and infrared regions. Suberin co-monomers dissolved in toluene showed no evidence of enhanced light transmission over that of the pure solvent in the visible light region and reduced light transmission in the infrared region. However, when these co-monomers were catalytically repolymerized using Bi(OTf), light transmission through suspended polymers significantly increased 1.3-fold in the visible light region over that in pure toluene, but was reduced in the infrared region.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9782166 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/polym14245387 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!