New insight into pectin effects on mesophyll conductance in four species of deciduous Forest

Abstract

The amount of pectin in the cell wall is considered a critical element regulating cell wall porosity. Thus, it is likely to influence the diffusional processes particularly that from the substomatal cavities to the carboxylation sites in the chloroplast stroma (i.e. mesophyll conductance, g_m). We analyzed in four deciduous species (Acer campestre, Crateaugus monogyna, Corylus avellana, Quercus robur) the correlation between pectin and g_m in two phase of leaves development (i.e. mature green leaves and senescent leaves). Results showed that in A. campestre, C. monogyna and Q. robur to higher value of pectin in mature green leaves corresponded the higher g_m value. Taking into account this result, we can assume that a higher amount of pectins is associated to an increased cell wall hydrophilicity and elasticity, thus increasing g_m because CO₂ molecules cross the wall dissolved in water. An opposite behavior was observed in C. avellana.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Cell wall
• deciduous species
• extraction
• mesophyll conductance
• leaf development
• pectin

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the ‘Natural Reserve Bosco Siro Negri’ funded by The Ministry of the Environment and Protection of Land and Sea of Italy. The authors gratefully acknowledge MIUR for the doctoral fellowship to V.C.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.