A hidden link between leaf development and senescence.

Leaf senescence is the final step of leaf development and is usually accompanied by visible color changes from green to yellow or brown. Unlike the senescence of the whole body of animals and unicellular organisms, which is often associated with death, leaf senescence in plants requires highly integrative processes towards cell death with nutrient recycling and storage. Since leaf senescence plays pivotal roles in the production of plant biomass and grain yield, the mechanisms of degradation and relocation of macromolecules as well as the regulation of signaling and biosynthetic pathways have received much attention.

The roles of ethylene and transcription factors in the regulation of onset of leaf senescence.

Leaf senescence is the last stage of leaf development and is accompanied by cell death. In contrast to senescence in individual organisms that leads to death, leaf senescence is associated with dynamic processes that include the translocation of nutrients from old leaves to newly developing or storage tissues within the same plant. The onset of leaf senescence is largely regulated by age and internal and external stimuli, which include the plant hormone ethylene.