title: A unique approach to demonstrating that apical bud temperature specifically determines leaf initiation rate in the dicot Cucumis sativus.
abstract: Leaf initiation rate is largely determined by the apical bud temperature even when apical bud temperature largely deviates from the temperature of other plant organs. We have long known that the rate of leaf initiation (LIR) is highly sensitive to temperature, but previous studies in dicots have not rigorously demonstrated that apical bud temperature controls LIR independent of other plant organs temperature. Many models assume that apical bud and leaf temperature are the same. In some environments, the temperature of the apical bud, where leaf initiation occurs, may differ by several degrees Celsius from the temperature of other plant organs. In a 28-days study, we maintained temperature differences between the apical bud and the rest of the individual Cucumis sativus plants from -7 to +8 °C by enclosing the apical buds in transparent, temperature-controlled, flow-through, spheres. Our results demonstrate that LIR was completely determined by apical bud temperature independent of other plant organs temperature. These results emphasize the need to measure or model apical bud temperatures in dicots to improve the prediction of crop development rates in simulation models.
authors.affiliation: Horticulture and Product Physiology, Wageningen University, PO Box 16, 6700AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands. andreas.m.savvides@gmail.com.|Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture, PO Box 644, 6700AP, Wageningen, The Netherlands. andreas.m.savvides@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7585-3313
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Savvides
authors.affiliation: Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture, PO Box 644, 6700AP, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Janneke A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dieleman
authors.affiliation: Horticulture and Product Physiology, Wageningen University, PO Box 16, 6700AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van Ieperen
authors.affiliation: Horticulture and Product Physiology, Wageningen University, PO Box 16, 6700AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Leo F M
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Marcelis
mesh_terms: D001695:Biology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D018553:Cucumis sativus / Q000254:growth & development*; D004867:Equipment Design; D018519:Meristem / Q000254:growth & development; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000254:growth & development*; D013696:Temperature
keywords: Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.); Leaf formation; Modelling; Shoot apical meristem