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Effect of wheat phosphorus status on leaf surface properties and permeability to foliar-applied phosphorus

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Abstract

Aims

This study aimed to analyse the effect of phosphorus (P) nutritional status on wheat leaf surface properties, in relation to foliar P absorption and translocation.

Methods

Plants of Triticum aestivum cv. Axe were grown with three rates of root P supply (equivalent to 24, 8 and 0 kg P ha−1) under controlled conditions. Foliar P treatments were applied and the rate of drop retention, P absorption and translocation was measured. Adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces were analysed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The contact angles, surface free energy and work-of-adhesion for water were determined.

Results

Wheat leaves are markedly non-wettable, the abaxial leaf side having some degree of water drop adhesion versus the strong repulsion of water drops by the adaxial side. The total leaf area, stomatal and trichome densities, cuticle thickness and contact angles decreased with P deficiency, while the work-of-adhesion for water increased. Phosphorous deficient plants failed to absorb the foliar-applied P.

Conclusions

Phosphorous deficiency altered the surface structure and functioning of wheat leaves, which became more wettable and had a higher degree of water drop adhesion, but turned less permeable to foliar-applied P. The results obtained are discussed within an agronomic and eco-physiological context.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge funding from the CSIRO Sustainable Agriculture Flagship Fellowship Fund. Victoria Fernández is supported by a “Ramón y Cajal” contract (MINECO, Spain), co-financed by the European Social Fund. Paula Guzmán is supported by a pre-doctoral grant from the Technical University of Madrid. Courtney A. E. Peirce is supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation of Australia and the Fluid Fertilizer Foundation (USA).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genetics and Eco-physiology Research Group, School of Forest Engineering, Technical University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Victoria Fernández & Paula Guzmán

  2. School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, PMB 1, Waite Campus, Glen Osmond, SA, 5064, Australia

    Courtney A. E. Peirce & Mike J. McLaughlin

  3. CSIRO Sustainable Agriculture Flagship, CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, PMB 2, Glen Osmond, SA, 5064, Australia

    Therese M. McBeath

  4. Department of Applied Physics I, Faculty of Physics, University Complutense of Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Mohamed Khayet

  5. CSIRO Sustainable Agriculture Flagship, CSIRO Land and Water, PMB 2, Glen Osmond, SA, 5064, Australia

    Mike J. McLaughlin

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  1. Victoria Fernández
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  2. Paula Guzmán
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  3. Courtney A. E. Peirce
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  4. Therese M. McBeath
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  5. Mohamed Khayet
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  6. Mike J. McLaughlin
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Correspondence to Victoria Fernández.

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Fernández, V., Guzmán, P., Peirce, C.A.E. et al. Effect of wheat phosphorus status on leaf surface properties and permeability to foliar-applied phosphorus. Plant Soil 384, 7–20 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2052-6

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