A team of scientists at Nagoya University has discovered new compounds that can control stomatal movements in plants. Some of the compounds have shown to prevent leaves from drying up and suppress withering when sprayed onto rose and oat leaves. Further investigation could lead to the development of new compounds that can be used to extend the freshness of cut flowers and flower bouquets, reduce transportation costs for plants and be applied as drought resistance agents for crops.
Nagoya, Japan — A group of plant biologists and a chemist at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University and Tohoku University, has used chemical screening to discover new compounds that can control stomatal movements in plants, according to a study reported in the journal Plant & Cell Physiology. They have succeeded in finding compounds exhibiting stomata closing activity, which are expected to be useful for drought tolerance to suppress withering of plants, and also stomata opening activity, which would lead to increased carbon dioxide uptake by plants, thus contributing to a low carbon society. This study explores a new chemical approach that does not rely on classical genetic methods to regulate the stomatal openings in plants.
Stomata are small pores present in the surface of plants, including leaves, flower petals and other organs, and are responsible for gas exchange with the atmosphere. Through these pores, plants uptake the carbon dioxide necessary for photosynthesis and release water by transpiration, which enhances uptake of nutrients from the roots. Therefore, regulation of stomatal openings is essential for plant growth as well as survival in response to various environmental conditions.
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