Blue-Light-Dependent Stomatal Density and Specific Leaf Weight Coordinate to Promote Gas Exchange of Soybean Leaves

• Published in: Agriculture
• Main Authors: Jiyu Chen, Jing Gao, Qi Wang, Xianming Tan, Shenglan Li, Ping Chen, Taiwen Yong, Xiaochun Wang, Yushan Wu, Feng Yang, Wenyu Yang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2022-12-01
• Subjects: specific leaf weight; stomatal conductance; stomatal density; stomatal size
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/13/1/119

Blue and red light are essential light signals used to regulate stomatal development and leaf structure. In the present study, stomatal and leaf traits that respond to blue and red light were studied at two light intensities (400 and 100 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹) in soybeans. The stomatal traits and leaf characteristics were determined. Furthermore, their contribution to the operational maximum stomatal conductance (<i>g</i>_opmax) was evaluated using the rdacca.hp R package. With the light intensity significantly reduced, the stomatal size (SZ) under blue light did not change. Similarly, the decrease in light intensity did not influence the stomatal density (SD), specific leaf weight (SLW) or <i>g</i>_opmax under red light. These results implied that the regulation of SD and SLW depended on blue light and that SZ was highly sensitive to red light. In addition, SLW was strongly correlated with SD. The SLW and SD had the highest contribution rates (19.43% and 19.5%, respectively) to <i>g</i>_opmax, as compared with the other parameters. In conclusion, these results suggested that in long-term exposure to blue light, the enhancements in <i>g</i>_opmax were primarily due to the synergistic promotion of SLW and SD.