Abstract
AbstractMany materials on plant leaf surfaces are hygroscopic, and they impact penetration of foliar-applied agrochemicals, foliar water uptake, gas exchange and stomatal density. Few studies are available on the nature of these substances, and we quantify how hygroscopic these materials are. Water vapor sorption experiments on twelve leaf washes were conducted and analyzed with inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Oils were found in all Eucalyptus samples studied. For mangroves that excrete salt to the leaf surfaces, significant sorption occurred at high humidity of a total of 316 mg (∼ 0.3 mL) over 6–10 leaves, and fitted a Guggenheim, Anderson, and de Böer sorption isotherm. All plant materials studied were hygroscopic. Materials on the plant leaf surface can deliquesce and form an aqueous solution in a variety of environments where plants grow, including glasshouses and by the ocean, which is an important factor when considering plant-atmosphere relations.
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory