Determination of leaf fresh mass after storage between moist paper towels: constraints and reliability of the method

To ensure comparability among leaf fresh mass measurements it is important to handle the leaves in a standardized manner. In the present work constraints of a commonly used method to achieve full turgor, storage between damp paper towels, were investigated. After overnight rehydration in a saturated atmosphere, the fresh mass of leaves of 14 species was measured, and the leaves were stored between paper towels (two treatments: moist and wet) at 4 °C. Their mass was measured after 24, 48, and 72 h. Leaf fresh mass increased during the first 24 h of storage between moist paper towels by an average of 1.8%, between wet towels by 3.3%. Among the species, the increase of leaf fresh mass between moist towels correlated with the species' desiccation propensity, indicating that it was rehydration from water loss during initial handling. On the other hand, between wet towels the fresh mass increase was associated with the species' leaf tissue structure, and it continued to increase beyond 24 h, indicating that the increase was a result of water penetration into the leaf air spaces. It is concluded that storage between moist paper towels results in reliable values of leaf fresh mass, and that desiccated leaves rehydrate well between moist towels. However, care has to be taken to avoid too wet conditions as they may lead to erroneously high fresh mass values, especially in species with large air spaces. Furthermore, exposure to unsaturated atmospheric conditions during handling has to be minimized.

[1]  Y. Kapulnik,et al.  Low air humidity increases leaf-specific hydraulic conductance of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh (Brassicaceae). , 2007, Journal of experimental botany.

[2]  G. Cornic,et al.  Drought effect on nitrate reductase and sucrose-phosphate synthase activities in wheat ( Triticum durum L . ) : role of leaf internal CO 2 , 2007 .

[3]  J. Flexas,et al.  Photosynthesis and photoprotection responses to water stress in the wild-extinct plant Lysimachia minoricensis , 2007 .

[4]  F. Lloret,et al.  Leaf and shoot water content and leaf dry matter content of Mediterranean woody species with different post-fire regenerative strategies. , 2007, Annals of botany.

[5]  Ülo Niinemets,et al.  Leaf shape and venation pattern alter the support investments within leaf lamina in temperate species: a neglected source of leaf physiological differentiation? , 2007 .

[6]  R. Madrid,et al.  Moderating water stress in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants by application of specific nitrogen doses , 2007 .

[7]  H. Jones.  Monitoring plant and soil water status: established and novel methods revisited and their relevance to studies of drought tolerance. , 2006, Journal of experimental botany.

[8]  P. Botía,et al.  Daily and seasonal patterns of leaf water relations and gas exchange of regulated deficit-irrigated almond trees under semiarid conditions , 2006 .

[9]  Weixing Zhu,et al.  Exotic purple loosestrife invasion of native cattail freshwater wetlands: Effects on organic matter distribution and soil nitrogen cycling , 2006 .

[10]  C. Körner,et al.  Construction costs, chemical composition and payback time of high- and low-irradiance leaves. , 2005, Journal of experimental botany.

[11]  Y. Yokoi,et al.  On the relationship between two indices (“Bulk density” and “dry-matter content”) of dry-matter accumulation in plant organs , 1985, The botanical magazine = Shokubutsu-gaku-zasshi.

[12]  Sandra Díaz,et al.  Specific leaf area and dry matter content estimate thickness in laminar leaves. , 2005, Annals of botany.

[13]  J. Hewlett,et al.  The measurement of water deficits in broadleaf plants , 1963, Protoplasma.

[14]  O. Stocker.  Das Wasserdefizit von Gefässpflanzen in verschiedenen Klimazonen , 1929, Planta.

[15]  H. Lambers,et al.  Tissue and cellular phosphorus storage during development of phosphorus toxicity in Hakea prostrata (Proteaceae). , 2004, Journal of experimental botany.

[16]  P. Ryser,et al.  Root and leaf attributes accounting for the performance of fast- and slow-growing grasses at different nutrient supply , 1995, Plant and Soil.

[17]  S. Güsewell.  Responses of wetland graminoids to the relative supply of nitrogen and phosphorus , 2004, Plant Ecology.

[18]  D. Bowman,et al.  Leaf attributes in the seasonally dry tropics: a comparison of four habitats in northern Australia , 2003 .

[19]  A. J. Friedland,et al.  Winter water relations of New England conifers and factors influencing their upper elevational limits. II. Modeling. , 2002, Tree physiology.

[20]  K. Thompson,et al.  Leaf traits as indicators of resource-use strategy in floras with succulent species , 2002 .

[21]  A. J. Friedland,et al.  Winter water relations of New England conifers and factors influencing their upper elevational limits. I. Measurements. , 2002, Tree physiology.

[22]  E. Garnier,et al.  A standardized protocol for the determination of specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content , 2001 .

[23]  P. Ryser,et al.  Ecological significance of leaf life span among Central European grass species , 2000 .

[24]  K. Thompson,et al.  Specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content as alternative predictors of plant strategies , 1999 .

[25]  Wilhelm Barthlott,et al.  Characterization and Distribution of Water-repellent, Self-cleaning Plant Surfaces , 1997 .

[26]  Bill Shipley,et al.  Structured interspecific determinants of specific leaf area in 34 species of herbaceous angiosperms , 1995 .

[27]  J. Irigoyen,et al.  Some Enzymes of Hydrogen Peroxide Metabolism in Leaves and Root Nodules of Medicago sativa. , 1986, Plant physiology.

[28]  W. G. Dore,et al.  Grasses of Ontario , 1980 .

[29]  G. Evans,et al.  The quantitative analysis of plant growth , 1972 .

[30]  T. T. Kozlowski,et al.  Determination of water deficits in plant tissues. , 1968 .

[31]  Theodore T. Kozlowski,et al.  Water deficits and plant growth , 1968 .

[32]  G. Fogg.  The state and movement of water in living organisms. , 1966, Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.

[33]  P. E. Weatherley.  The state and movement of water in the leaf. , 1965, Symposia of the Society for Experimental Biology.

[34]  H. A. Gleason,et al.  Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. , 1963 .

[35]  H. Barrs,et al.  A Re-Examination of the Relative Turgidity Technique for Estimating Water Deficits in Leaves , 1962 .

[36]  F. Milthorpe,et al.  Experimental Studies of the Factors Controlling Transpiration , 1957 .

[37]  F. Milthorpe,et al.  Experimental Studies of the Factors Controlling Transpiration III. THE INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN TRANSPIRATION RATE, STOMATAL MOVEMENT, AND LEAF-WATER CONTENT , 1957 .

[38]  P. E. Weatherley.  STUDIES IN THE WATER RELATIONS OF THE COTTON PLANT , 1951 .

[39]  P. E. Weatherley.  Studies in the water relations of the cotton plant 1. The field measurement of water deficits in leaves. , 1950 .

[40]  R. Wolf,et al.  A Critical Examination of the Gravimetric Method of determining Suction Force , 1947 .