title: A size-mediated effect can compensate for transient chilling stress affecting maize (Zea mays) leaf extension.
abstract: *In this study, we examined the impact of transient chilling in maize (Zea mays). We investigated the respective roles of the direct effects of stressing temperatures and indirect whorl size-mediated effects on the growth of leaves chilled at various stages of development. *Cell production, individual leaf extension and final leaf size of plants grown in a glasshouse under three temperature regimes (a control and two short chilling transfers) were studied using two genotypes contrasting in terms of their architecture. *The kinetics of all the leaves emerging after the stress were affected, but not all final leaf lengths were affected. No size-mediated propagation of an initial growth reduction was observed, but a size-mediated effect was associated with a longer duration of leaf elongation which compensated for reduced leaf elongation rates when leaves were stressed during their early growth. Both cell division and cell expansion contributed to explaining cold-induced responses at the leaf level. *These results demonstrate that leaf elongation kinetics and final leaf length are under the control of processes at the n - 1 (cell proliferation and expansion) and n + 1 (whorl size signal) scales. Both levels may respond to chilling stress with different time lags, making it possible to buffer short-term responses.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1281 Stress Abiotiques et Différenciation des Végétaux Cultivés, BP 136, F80203 Péronne, France.|INRA, UR4 Pluridisciplinaire Prairies et Plantes Fourragères, BP6, F86600 Lusignan, France.
authors.forename: Gaëtan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Louarn
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1091 Environnement et Grandes Cultures, F78850 Thiverval - Grignon, France.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Andrieu
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1281 Stress Abiotiques et Différenciation des Végétaux Cultivés, BP 136, F80203 Péronne, France.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giauffret
mesh_terms: D002452:Cell Count; D048429:Cell Size; D003080:Cold Temperature; D007700:Kinetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D009929:Organ Size; D019441:Plant Epidermis / Q000166:cytology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013997:Time Factors; D003313:Zea mays / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*
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