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Morphogenetic trends in the morphological, optical and biochemical features of phyllodes in Acacia mangium Willd (Mimosaceae)

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Abstract

Endogenous variations in the annual growth of trees suggest that similar trends would occur in phyllodes. In comparison to leaves, the characteristics of phyllodes are less well known, hence this study examines the effects of architectural position and age of tree on the phyllodes of Acacia mangium. Phyllodes were investigated on 1-, 2-, and 3-year-old trees from three axis positions within the crown. We focused on the morphological, optical and biochemical traits of the phyllodes. The increase in phyllode area and lamina thickness is more pronounced in the older trees. Leaf mass area (LMA), stomatal density, nitrogen and chlorophyll content increase with tree age. The values of these characteristics decrease from the main stem to the lower branches for the older trees. Phyllode light absorptance increased with tree age whereas reflectance was higher for the upper position compared to the lower position within the crown. Carotenoid content and chlorophyll a/b ratio were higher for the younger phyllodes of younger trees. Increasing tree size induced modifications in the phyllode characteristics which are influenced by both morphogenetic and light gradients within the crown. This study demonstrated pronounced changes in terms of morphological and functional indicators of photosynthetic capacity in relation to phyllode position within the crown and to tree age. These morphogenetic effects on the phyllode characteristics should be taken into account in studies on phenotypic plasticity.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank S. M. Setompul, Christina Putri and Evi for their help in field- and laboratory work. We are grateful to J. Orivel for his help with the SOM Toolbox and H. Cochard and Y. Caraglio for their comments on the manuscript. This research was carried out as part of the SAFODS (Smallholder AgroForestry Options for Degraded Soils) collaborative research project, partly funded by the EU: contract number ICA4-CT-2001-10092. AMAP (Botany and Computational Plant Architecture) is a joint research unit which associates CIRAD (UMR51), CNRS (UMR5120), INRA (UMR931), IRD (R123), and Montpellier 2 University (UM27); http://amap.cirad.fr/. The supports are gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. Céline Leroy

    Present address: Université Paul Sabatier, UMR EDB, 31062, Toulouse, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRA, UMR AMAP, 34000, Montpellier, France

    Céline Leroy, Michael Guéroult & Daniel Auclair

  2. Universitas Brawijaya, Fakultas Pertanian, Malang, Indonesia

    Novi Sari Wahyuni

  3. CIRAD, UMR DAP, 34000, Montpellier, France

    Jacques Escoute

  4. Université Paul Sabatier, UMR Ecolab, 31062, Toulouse, France

    Régis Céréghino

  5. CIRAD, UMR AMAP, 34000, Montpellier, France

    Sylvie Sabatier

  6. CIRAD, UMR AMAP (botAnique et bioinforMatique de l’Architecture des Plantes), TA A-51/PS2, Bd. de la Lironde, 34398, Montpellier Cedex 5, France

    Sylvie Sabatier

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  1. Céline Leroy
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Correspondence to Sylvie Sabatier.

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Communicated by J. Carlson.

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Leroy, C., Guéroult, M., Wahyuni, N.S. et al. Morphogenetic trends in the morphological, optical and biochemical features of phyllodes in Acacia mangium Willd (Mimosaceae). Trees 23, 37–49 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-008-0252-5

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