Leaf anatomy, chloroplast organization and photosynthetic rate of hyperhydric Eucalyptus saligna Sm. material

Morphological, anatomical and ultrastructural differences between leaf tissues of field-grown and normal and hyperhydric in vitro-cultured Eucalyptus saligna were investigated. Hyperhydric material showed abnormal, often discontinuous development of the epidermis and cuticle. Stomata were malformed. The leaf lamina appeared thickened and was characterized by poor differentiation between the palisade and spongy mesophyll. The chlorophyll content of hyperhydric material was significantly less than that of field-grown and normal cultured material. Hyperhydric leaves had a significantly lower chloroplast number per cell and chloroplasts showed reduced thylakoid stacking. The gross photosynthetic rate of hyperhydric tissue was less than that of normal cultured material. Morfologiese, anatomiese en ultrastrukturele verskille tussen Eucalyptus saligna blaarweefsel versamel vanaf plante in ’n natuurlike staat en normale en hiperhidriese plante in weefselkulture, is ondersoek. Hiperhidriese materiaal het abnormale, dikwels gebroke ontwikkeling van die epidermis en kutikula getoon. Huidmondjies was misvorm. Die blaar-lamina het dikker vertoon en differensiasie tussen die palisade- en sponsmesofiel was onduidelik. Die chlorofil-inhoud van hiperhidriese weefsel was betekenisvol laer as dié van blare vanaf die natuurlike omgewing sowel as van normale blare wat in weefselkulture ontwikkel het. Hiperhidriese blare het betekenisvol minder chloroplaste per sel gehad en chloroplaste het verminderde thylakoïde stapeling getoon. Die tempo van fotosintese van hiperhidriese weefsel was laer as dié van normalein vitro-materiaal.