. 2021 Apr 29;26(9):2602. doi: 10.3390/molecules26092602

Table 1.

Average ± SE (standard error) leaf photosynthetic and structural characteristics and contents of macroelements.

Characteristic	Units	Abelmoschus esculentus	Amaranthus cruentus	Amaranthus hybridus	Solanum aethiopicum	Telfairia occidentalis
Photosynthesis rate before cut	μmol m⁻² s⁻¹	4.6 ± 1.2 ^a	10.7 ± 1.0 ^ab	11.8 ± 1.6 ^b	5.7 ± 1.4 ^ab	6.2 ± 2.2 ^ab
Photosynthesis rate after cut	μmol m⁻² s⁻¹	3.6 ± 1.1 ^a	11.1 ± 1.0 ^b	11.6 ± 1.9 ^b	5.1 ± 1.2 ^ab	5.5 ± 1.9 ^ab
Stomatal conductance before cut	mmol m⁻² s⁻¹	66 ± 11 ^a	83 ± 8 ^ab	125 ± 6 ^bc	175 ± 23 ^c	89 ± 5 ^ab
Stomatal conductance after cut	mmol m⁻² s⁻¹	65 ± 24 ^a	85 ± 10 ^ab	110 ± 11 ^ab	146 ± 7 ^b	88 ± 9 ^ab
Dry mass	Mg	1050 ± 130 ^b	77 ± 7 ^a	119 ± 9 ^a	230 ± 70 ^a	275 ± 33 ^a
Leaf area	cm²	290 ± 38 ^b	28.2 ± 1.8 ^a	30.8 ± 1.9 ^a	86.1 ± 3.1 ^a	58 ± 10 ^a
Leaf dry mass per unit area	g m⁻²	36.30 ± 0.46	27.1 ± 0.6	38.5 ± 0.6	27 ± 8	53 ± 17
Pre-wound A_max/N	μmol s⁻¹ g⁻¹	5.3 ± 2.3	11.0 ± 1.1	10.9 ± 1.4	4.6 ± 1.6	6.6 ± 1.6
Pre-wound A_max/P	μmol s⁻¹ g⁻¹	23 ± 10	44.7 ± 4.4	34.1 ± 4.5	20 ± 7	26 ± 6
Nitrogen	g m⁻²	0.750 ± 0.018 ^a	0.973 ± 0.010 ^c	1.083 ±0.012 ^d	0.868 ± 0.024 ^b	1.337 ± 0.027 ^e
Carbon	g m⁻²	15.07 ± 0.11 ^b	10.07 ± 0.08 ^a	14.34 ± 0.15 ^b	10.57 ± 0.23 ^a	21.3 ± 0.8 ^c
Phosphorus	g m⁻²	0.173 ± 0.006 ^a	0.239 ± 0.008 ^b	0.348 ± 0.007 ^d	0.219 ± 0.006 ^b	0.310 ± 0.006 ^c
Potassium	g m⁻²	1.855 ± 0.034 ^c	1.647 ± 0.030 ^b	1.681 ± 0.020 ^b	1.549 ± 0.020 ^b	1.148 ± 0.041 ^a
Calcium	g m⁻²	1.120 ± 0.023 ^c	0.656 ± 0.006 ^a	0.721 ± 0.005 ^b	0.952 ± 0.009 ^c	0.725 ± 0.008 ^b
Magnesium	g m⁻²	0.633 ± 0.018 ^e	0.499 ± 0.014 ^d	0.564 ± 0.016 ^c	0.248 ± 0.007 ^a	0.383 ± 0.007 ^b

A_max is photosynthetic capacity at saturating light and optimal conditions. Different superscript letters next to the values (a–e) indicate significant differences among species after Tukey HSD (honestly significant difference) test (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between pre- and post-wounding (30 min after leaf wounding) leaf photosynthesis rate and stomatal conductance (p > 0.05 according to paired samples t-test; n = 3 for all species).