Skip to main content
PMC home page
Plant Physiology logoLink to Plant Physiology
. 1973 Mar;51(3):588–590. doi: 10.1104/pp.51.3.588

Organic Acid Changes in the Epidermis of Vicia faba and Their Implication in Stomatal Movement 1

J E Pallas Jr a, B G Wright a,2
PMCID: PMC366310  PMID: 16658374

Abstract

Considerable evidence indicates that the increase in guard cell turgor resulting in stomatal opening is brought about by active K+ uptake into guard cells. Only a small increase in inorganic anions appears to accompany the increase in K+. A plausible explanation is that organic acids are produced within guard cells and act as counterions, whereas the H+ produced are exchanged for K+.

This hypothesis was tested by using different levels of ambient CO2 in light to control stomatal aperture and at the same time measure changes in organic acid production in the epidermis of Vicia faba. Epidermal strips were used, quickly frozen in liquid nitrogen, and later extracted.

A positive correlation was found between stomatal resistance (rs, indirect measure of stomatal aperture) and CO2 level. With decreases in rs, total titratable acidity increased. The organic acids, glyceric, malic, and citric, in the epidermis, as measured by gas chromatography of trimethylsilyl derivatives, increased. Changes in glucose or sucrose were not found. These analyses provided evidence that organic acid production in the epidermis is associated with stomatal opening.

Full text

PDF
588

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Fischer R. A. Role of Potassium in Stomatal Opening in the Leaf of Vicia faba. Plant Physiol. 1971 Apr;47(4):555–558. doi: 10.1104/pp.47.4.555. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Hiatt A. J. Relationship of Cell Sap pH to Organic Acid Change During Ion Uptake. Plant Physiol. 1967 Feb;42(2):294–298. doi: 10.1104/pp.42.2.294. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Humble G. D., Hsiao T. C. Light-dependent Influx and Efflux of Potassium of Guard Cells during Stomatal Opening and Closing. Plant Physiol. 1970 Sep;46(3):483–487. doi: 10.1104/pp.46.3.483. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Humble G. D., Raschke K. Stomatal opening quantitatively related to potassium transport: evidence from electron probe analysis. Plant Physiol. 1971 Oct;48(4):447–453. doi: 10.1104/pp.48.4.447. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. JACKSON P. C., ADAMS H. R. Cation-anion balance during potassium and sodium absorption by barley roots. J Gen Physiol. 1963 Jan;46:369–386. doi: 10.1085/jgp.46.3.369. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Pallas J. E., Jr Mechanisms of guard cell action. Q Rev Biol. 1966 Dec;41(4):365–383. doi: 10.1086/405157. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Plant Physiology are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

RESOURCES