Close coordination between leaf gas exchange and maximal hydraulic supply has been reported across diverse plant life forms. However, it has also been suggested that this relationship may become weak or break down completely within the angiosperms. We examined coordination between hydraulic, leaf vein, and gas-exchange traits across a diverse group of 35 evergreen Australian angiosperms, spanni...

The aim of this study was to investigate, during the summer of the year 2008, the variation in leaf water and photosynthetic characteristics of Eucryphia cordifolia Cav. (Cunoniaceae) along its broad latitudinal distribution in central south Chile (36 degrees to 42 degrees S). The latitudinal variation in water potential (Psi(w)), water potential at saturation (Psipi(sat)), water potential at t...

Stomatal movement plays a key role in plant development and response to drought and salt stress by regulating gas exchange and water loss. A number of genes have been demonstrated to be involved in the regulation of this process. Using inverse genetics approach, we characterized the function of a rice (Oryza sativa L.) vacuolar H(+)-ATPase subunit A (OsVHA-A) gene in stomatal conductance regula...

Diminishing global fresh water availability has focused research to elucidate mechanisms of water use in poplar, an economically important species. A GT-2 family trihelix transcription factor that is a determinant of water use efficiency (WUE), PtaGTL1 (GT-2 like 1), was identified in Populus tremula × P. alba (clone 717-IB4). Like other GT-2 family members, PtaGTL1 contains both N- and C-termi...

We investigated the effect of intraspecific competition on growth parameters and photosynthesis of the salt marsh species Atriplex prostrata Boucher in order to distinguish the effects of densitydependent growth inhibition from salt stress. High plant density caused a reduction of 30% in height, 82% in stem dry mass, 80% in leaf dry mass, and 95% in root dry mass. High density also induced a pr...

objective: taro (colocasia esculenta l. schott) is a perennial root crop that belongs to araceace family.  it is widely cultivated as a staple food in africa, asia and pacific islands. despite its importance, there is limited information on many aspects of the crop. in order to obtain data that can support improved and sustainable taro production, a field trial was conducted to study the effect...

the effects of chitosan/biopolymer (c/p) and nanohydroxyapatite/ biopolymer (nha/p) weight ratios on particle size and its uniformity, cross-linking density and nh2 content of nano-hydroxyapatite/chitosan/gelatin (nha/c/g) microspheres were investigated. microspheres were fabricated using water-in-oil emulsion. cross-linking of microspheres was performed using water soluble carbodiimide. partic...

The hypothesis that vines of the Semillon wine grape variety show anisohydric behaviour was tested, i.e. that tissue hydration is unstable under fluctuating environmental conditions. Stomatal conductance and transpiration rates from leaves were measured during the day and at night. Leaf water potential (Psi(l)) in Semillon was negatively correlated to vapour pressure deficit (VPD) both predawn ...