title: Leaf physico-chemical and physiological properties of maize (Zea mays L.) populations from different origins.
abstract: In this study we evaluated the leaf surface properties of maize populations native to different water availability environments. Leaf surface topography, wettability and gas exchange performance of five maize populations from the Sahara desert, dry (south) and humid (north-western) areas of Spain were analysed. Differences in wettability, stomatal and trichome densities, surface free energy and solubility parameter values were recorded between populations and leaf sides. Leaves from the humid Spanish population with special regard to the abaxial side, were less wettable and less susceptible to polar interactions. The higher wettability and hydrophilicity of Sahara populations with emphasis on the abaxial leaf surfaces, may favour dew deposition and foliar water absorption, hence improving water use efficiency under extremely dry conditions. Compared to the other Saharan populations, the dwarf one had a higher photosynthesis rate suggesting that dwarfism may be a strategy for improving plant tolerance to arid conditions. The results obtained for different maize populations suggest that leaf surfaces may vary in response to drought, but further studies will be required to examine the potential relationship between leaf surface properties and plant stress tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Misión Biológica de Galicia, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Apartado 28, 36080 Pontevedra, Spain.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Revilla
authors.affiliation: Forest Genetics and Ecophysiology Research Group, School of Forest Engineering, Technical University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: v.fernandez@upm.es.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.affiliation: Misión Biológica de Galicia, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Apartado 28, 36080 Pontevedra, Spain.
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Álvarez-Iglesias
authors.affiliation: Soil and Water Department, Estación Experimental de Aula Dei, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Avda. Montañana 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Medina
authors.affiliation: Soil and Water Department, Estación Experimental de Aula Dei, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Avda. Montañana 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cavero
mesh_terms: D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D005453:Fluorescence; D010788:Photosynthesis; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D054046:Plant Stomata / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D013816:Thermodynamics; D064201:Trichomes / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003313:Zea mays / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D002734:Chlorophyll
keywords: Contact angles; Drought stress; Gas exchange rates; Plant surfaces; Surface free energy; Wettability; Zea mays