Table II.
Effect of phosphorus deficiency on kinematic parameters
L. perenne plants were grown for 47 d at high (1 mm) and 61 d at low (0.02 mm) phosphorus supply. Data are averages for epidermal cells of six plants (±se), along with the significance of the difference between phosphorus treatments based on a t test. *, P ≤ 0.05; **, P ≤ 0.01; ***, P ≤ 0.001; NS, not significant, P > 0.05.
| Parameter | High Phosphorus | Low Phosphorus | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leaf elongation rate (mm h−1) | 2.30 ± 0.05 | 1.41 ± 0.05 | *** |
| Cell production rate (cell h−1) | 1.91 ± 0.10 | 1.52 ± 0.10 | ** |
| Average cell division rate (cell cell−1 h−1) | 0.046 ± 0.008 | 0.028 ± 0.005 | ** |
| Average cell cycle duration (h) | 15.1 ± 3.1 | 24.9 ± 2.0 | *** |
| Number of cells per meristematic cell file | 41 ± 7 | 55 ± 9 | NS |
| Number of division cycles | 5.4 ± 2.7 | 5.8 ± 2.3 | NS |
| Final cell length (mm) | 1.208 ± 0.057 | 0.929 ± 0.052 | ** |
| Cell length in the meristem (μm) | 19.3 ± 3.2 | 18.8 ± 2.4 | NS |
| Postmitotic relative elongation rate (mm mm−1 h−1) | 0.064 ± 0.005 | 0.045 ± 0.005 | * |
| Elongation duration (h) | 75 ± 6 | 99 ± 9 | * |