Journal Articles

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    Belowground Structural Attributes and Morpho-Anatomical Response Strategies of Bromus valdivianus Phil and Lolium perenne L to Soil Water Restriction
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2025-05) Zhang Y; García-Favre J; Hu H; López IF; Ordóñez IP; Cartmill AD; Symonds V; Kemp PD; Vergine M
    The effect of soil water restriction on the root structure and morpho-anatomical attributes of Lolium perenne L. (Lp) and Bromus valdivianus Phil. (Bv) was investigated. The anatomical structure of roots from plants grown under two water restriction conditions (20–25% and 80–85% field capacity (FC)) were assessed using paraffin embedding and thin sections. These sections were examined to assess anatomical traits, including root diameter (root D), stele diameter (stele D) and cortex thickness (cortex T), and xylem vessel of Lp and Bv roots. Tiller population, shoot herbage mass, and the shoot-to-root ratio were also determined. Under water restriction, biomass and tillers were significantly decreased (p < 0.001), while the root-to-shoot ratio significantly increased, indicating a higher proportion of Bv roots than shoots when compared to Lp. The root D and stele D, and cortex T, were larger in Bv than in Lp (p < 0.001), indicating a greater adaptation of Bv for water uptake and storage compared to Lp. Xylem vessels were wider in Lp when compared to Bv (p < 0.01), indicating greater water flow within the plant. Water restriction generated a decrease in root D, stele D, and cortex T (p < 0.01). Canonical variate analysis showed that the pith cell wall had a strong positive relationship with water restriction in both Bv and Lp; lignified xylem and the endodermis wall had a close relationship with Lp under water restriction. The findings demonstrate that Lp and Bv have individual structural and morpho-anatomical response strategies to increasing water restriction.
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    Aboveground Structural Attributes and Morpho-Anatomical Response Strategies of Bromus valdivianus Phil. and Lolium perenne L. to Severe Soil Water Restriction
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2023-12-01) Zhang Y; García-Favre J; Hu H; López IF; Ordóñez IP; Cartmill AD; Kemp PD; Głab T
    Grass species have a range of strategies to tolerate soil water restriction, which are linked to the environmental conditions at their site of origin. Climate change enhances the relevance of the functional role of anatomical attributes and their contribution as water stress tolerance factors. Morpho-anatomical traits and adjustments that contribute to drought resistance in Lolium perenne L. (Lp) and Bromus valdivianus Phil. (Bv), a temperate humid grass species, were analysed. The structure of the leaves and pseudostems (stems only in Lp) grown at 20–25% field capacity (FC) (water restriction) and 80–85% FC (control) were evaluated by making paraffin sections. In both species, water restriction reduced the thickness of the leaves and pseudostems, along with the size of the vasculature. Bv had long and dense leaf hairs, small and numerous stomata, and other significant adaptive traits under water stress, including thicker pseudostems (p ≤ 0.001), a greatly thickened bundle sheath wall (p ≤ 0.001) in the pseudostem to ensure water flow, and a thickened cuticle covering on leaf surfaces (p ≤ 0.01) to avoid water loss. Lp vascular bundles developed throughout the stem, and under water restriction the xylem vessel walls were strengthened and lignified. Lp leaves had individual traits of a ribbed/corrugated-shaped upper surface, and the stomata were positioned to maintain relative humidity outside the leaf surface. Water restriction significantly changed the bulliform cell depth in Lp (p ≤ 0.05) that contributed to water loss reduction via the curling leaf blade. This study demonstrated that the two grass species, through different morphological traits, were able to adjust their individual tissues and cells in aboveground parts to reach similar physiological functions to reduce water loss with increased water restriction. These attributes explain how both species enhance persistence and resilience under soil water restriction.