Alterations in leaf morphology of two landscape shrubs in response to disparate climate and paclobutrazol

• Published in: HortScience Vol. 29; no. 11; pp. 1321 - 1325
• Main Authors: Martin, C.A. (Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.), Sharp, W.P, Ruter, J.M, Garcia, R.L
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria, VA American Society for Horticultural Science 01-11-1994
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; ANATOMIA DE LA PLANTA; ANATOMIE VEGETALE; ARIZONA; Biological and medical sciences; CLIMA ARIDO; CLIMA TEMPLADO; CLIMAT ARIDE; CLIMAT TEMPERE; CONTENIDO DE MATERIA SECA; Cropping systems. Cultivation. Soil tillage; ESTOMA; FEUILLE; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; GEORGIA (EUA); GEORGIE (EU); HOJAS; LIGUSTRUM; MESOFILO; MESOPHYLLE; MYRTACEAE; PACLOBUTRAZOL; PELOS VEGETALES; POIL VEGETAL; PULVERISATION; PULVERIZACION; REFLECTANCE; REFLECTANCIA; STOMATE; SUPERFICIE FOLIAR; SURFACE FOLIAIRE; Tending. Growth control; TENEUR EN MATIERE SECHE; Tillage. Tending. Growth control; Georgia; United States; North America; Arizona; America; Green area; Ornamental shrub; Arboriculture; Alteration; Environmental factor; Growth regulator treatment; Landscape design; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Acca sellowiana; Myrtaceae; Plant growth substance; Subtropical zone; Oleaceae; Shrub; Plant leaf; Ecophysiology; Arid climate; Paclobutrazol; Phytotoxicity; Morphology; Triazole derivatives; Temperate climate; Humid climate; Spermatophyta
• ISSN: 0018-5345; 2327-9834
• DOI: 10.21273/hortsci.29.11.1321

Paclobutrazol at 0 and 750 microliter.liter was sprayed on shoots of Feijoa sellowiana O. Berg. and Ligustrum japonicum Thunb. grown under similar production regimes in central Arizona (subtropical desert) and southern Georgia (humid temperate). Five months after application, Feijoa and Ligustrum leaves were generally smaller and thicker in Arizona than in Georgia. Arizona leaves were thicker than those in Georgia because of more layers of palisade and spongy mesophyll cells. Compared with leaves from control plants, paclobutrazol 1) increased Feijoa leaf area in Georgia, 2) decreased Ligustrum leaf area at both locations by approximately 50%, and 3) decreased leaf thickness of both species in Arizona. Arizona Feijoa leaves had trichomes on adaxial and abaxial surfaces, whereas Georgia Feijoa leaves had trichomes on abaxial surfaces only. Paclobutrazol increased trichome frequency on adaxial surfaces of Arizona Feijoa leaves. Stomatal frequency of Georgia Feijoa leaves was about doubled by paclobutrazol. Reflectance of near-infrared radiation by paclobutrazol-treated Feijoa leaves was 1.4 times higher than that of nontreated leaves in Georgia and 1.9 times in Arizona. Near-infrared reflectance by Georgia Ligustrum leaves was 1.3 times higher than by Arizona Ligustrum leaves and was not affected by paclobutrazol. Leaf reflectance of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) by Arizona Feijoa was higher than by Georgia Feijoa. Paclobutrazol increased PAR reflectance by Arizona Feijoa leaves. In contrast, Georgia Feijoa PAR reflectance was decreased by paclobutrazol. Paclobutrazol or location did not affect Ligustrum PAR reflectance