Plant Growth Analyses

The coordinated implementation of diel (during 24 h) growth processes requires a sufficient supply of water, carbohydrates, energy and mineral nutrients. The diel availability of these ‘growth substrates’ differs depending on the organization of the root, shoot and leaf growth zones. Therefore, leaves of plants with different organization show different strategies with respect to the timing of their maximal growth rate during the diel cycle. Grass leaves grow maximally at random times. Their growth zone is not exposed to the environment, does not conduct photosynthesis and does not lose water due to transpiration. Leaves of typical dicot plants do not have separate zones of growth and photosynthesis and the growth zone is exposed towards the environment. Maximal growth takes place at day-night-transitions. Succulent plants close their stomata and grow preferentially during the day. These different growth strategies are hardly investigated up to now and their consequences with respect to human utilization of plants as crops are hardly discussed. external page (Walter, A.; Silk, W.K.*; Schurr, U., Annual Review of Plant Biology, 60 2009)