Journal of Plant Biochemistry & Physiology
Open Access
ISSN: 2329-9029
+44 1478 350008
ISSN: 2329-9029
+44 1478 350008
Gana JA
Biological Sciences Department, 9501 S. King Drive / SCI 310 Chicago IL 60628 (773)
Tanzania
Research Article
Defoliation Influences Starch Granule Distribution and Structure in Medicago
sativa L. Taproots as Revealed by SEM and TEM
Author(s): Mendrano D, Gana JA, Williams A, Tubuo E, Maselli A and Cunningham SMMendrano D, Gana JA, Williams A, Tubuo E, Maselli A and Cunningham SM
Taproots of mature Medicago sativa L. plants store abundant starch that cycles with defoliation. Starch is a key component that provides energy for regrowth of alfalfa plants post defoliation (PD). Starch is located mostly in the parenchyma cells of wood medullary ray and bark tissues. The objectives of this study were to investigate the influence of defoliation on the distribution of starch granules in cells within bark and wood tissues and changes to starch granule structure. Plants were grown to maturity in the greenhouse, defoliated, and root samples were analyzed by SEM from plants sampled on different days PD. TEM was used to study the structure of starch granules on Days 0, 12, and 28 PD and 12 day non-defoliated plants. A one-way ANOVA revealed a significant difference in the distribution of starch granules between the two tissues over the 35 day PD interval. The distribution .. View More»
DOI:
10.4172/2329-9029.1000134