Plant Physiology: On The Inside

Phytohormones are naturally occurring signaling molecules that play key roles in the regulation of plant physiology, development, and adaptation to environmental stimuli. Generally, their concentrations in plant tissues are extremely low (fmol-pmol/g fresh weight, FW). Although certain phytohormones…

Plants rely on two branches of the innate immunity system to prevent or eliminate microbial infections: one involves cell surface receptors to respond to pathogen- or microbe- associated molecular patterns, and the other acts inside plant cells by using proteins with nucleotide-binding site (NBS) and…

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient, and P deficiency limits plant productivity. P influences many aspects of photosynthesis P-deficient plants typically remain green and do not develop leaf chlorosis and yet P starvation immediately affects CO2 assimilation. Specifically, P deficiency is believed…

One of the more prevalent methods used to initiate plant senescence under laboratory conditions is to grow plants in prolonged dark conditions. The course of “dark-induced senescence” depends upon whether individual leaves on the plant or the entire plant is darkened: an individually darkened leaf…

Soil pH has a strong influence on the availability of mineral nutrients and the distribution of species in natural plant communities. Iron (Fe) solubility decreases dramatically with increasing pH. In alkaline soils, calcifuge (“chalk-fleeing”) species are unable to compete due to their inability…

Transient changes in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]) are involved in the sensing of a wide variety of abiotic and biotic stimuli iIn plants. The unique spatiotemporal patterns in [Ca2+] that result enable specific stimulus-response coupling. Several intracellular compartments of the plant…

During seed development, protein reserves and minerals are stored in specialized vacuoles called protein storage vacuoles (PSVs). PSVs are functionally different from the lytic vacuoles (LVs) that serve a lysosome-like role in vegetative plant tissues. Embryonic vacuole (EVs) are also present during…

Flowering is a developmental stage that is particularly sensitive to drought; restriction of water at this time can decrease seed set, final seed number, and harvested seed yield. Kernel abortion during drought at flowering can be alleviated by supplying Suc to reproductive tissue. Consequently, Suc…