High potential for foliar water uptake in early stages of leaf development of three woody angiosperms.

ABSTRACT: Foliar water uptake (FWU) is a widespread mechanism that may help plants cope with drought stress in a wide range of ecosystems. FWU can be affected by various leaf traits, which change during leaf development. We exposed cut and dehydrated leaves to rainwater and measured FWU, changes in leaf water potential after 19 h of FWU (ΔΨ), minimum leaf conductance (g_min ), and leaf wettability (abaxial and adaxial) of leaves of Acer platanoides, Fagus sylvatica, and Sambucus nigra at three developmental stages: unfolding (2-5-day-old), young (1.5-week-old) and mature leaves (8-week-old). FWU and g_min were higher in younger leaves. ΔΨ corresponded to FWU and g_min in all cases but mature leaves of F. sylvatica, where ΔΨ was highest. Most leaves were highly wettable,

SUBMITTER: Losso A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10953411 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul-Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature