Physiological and Transcriptomic Changes During Autumn Coloration and Senescence in Ginkgo biloba Leaves

Autumn leaf senescence and coloration is a complex process and a striking natural phenomenon.Here,through biology approach integrating transcriptomic analyses in Ginkgo biloba,we determined that the content of chlorophyll decreased during leaf senescence,while carotenoid components increased until late October in the turning stage(TS)and then decreased in the yellow leaf stage(YS).Simultaneously,chlorophyll biosynthesis genes exhibited significantly lower expression levels while chlorophyll degradation genes showed increased expression from the green leaf stage(GS)to YS.However,carotenoid biosynthesis-related genes showed enhanced expression,especially in TS.An analysis of the expression of genes related to senescence demonstrated that the expression levels of most abscisic acid-and jasmonic acid-related genes,autophagy,WRKY,and NAC genes increased,whereas cytoskeleton-,photosynthesis-,and antioxidation-related genes decreased from GS to YS.Furthermore,G.biloba seedlings exogenously treated with abscisic acid,jasmonic acid,or ultraviolet-B radiation all showed obvious color variation and senescence symptoms.We used these exogenously seedlings to further validate the function of several genes involved in chlorophyll biosynthesis and senescence.Taken together,these results contribute to the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of leaf coloration and senescence in G.biloba as well as in the identification of candidate genes involved in this process.

A Review on Resistance to Biotic Stress in Leaf-Colored Plant

As sessile organisms, plants have to be subjected to insect attack. Over the long course of evolution, plants have produced many mechanisms to resist this biotic stress such as pigment accumulation. Pigment levels determined depth and distribution of leaf color, thereby indirectly or directly affecting the behavior of insect attack. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of mutual recognition between leaf color and insect will provide important theoretical insight for the cultivation and improvement of new cultivars. This paper outlines leaf-color formation and the effect of pigment on the behavior of insect attack, and explores the challenge of research in the interaction between leaf color and insect, as soon as the potential direction for future development. This will give a broad background for improvements of colored plants with resistance to insect attack.

Modeling Dynamics of Leaf Color Based on RGB Value in Rice

This paper was to develop a model for simulating the leaf color changes in rice （Oryza sativa L.） based on RGB （red, green, and blue） values. Based on rice experiment data with different cultivars and nitrogen （N） rates, the time-course RGB values of each leaf on main stem were collected during the growth period in rice, and a model for simulating the dynamics of leaf color in rice was then developed using quantitative modeling technology. The results showed that the RGB values of leaf color gradually decreased from the initial values （light green） to the steady values （green） during the first stage, remained the steady values （green） during the second stage, then gradually increased to the final values （from green to yellow） during the third stage. The decreasing linear functions, constant functions and increasing linear functions were used to simulate the changes in RGB values of leaf color at the first, second and third stages with growing degree days （GDD）, respectively; two cultivar parameters, MatRGB （leaf color matrix） and AR （a vector composed of the ratio of the cumulative GDD of each stage during color change process of leaf n to that during leaf n drawn under adequate N status）, were introduced to quantify the genetic characters in RGB values of leaf color and in durations of different stages during leaf color change, respectively; FN （N impact factor） was used to quantify the effects of N levels on RGB values of leaf color and on durations of different stages during leaf color change; linear functions were applied to simulate the changes in leaf color along the leaf midvein direction during leaf development process. Validation of the models with the independent experiment dataset exhibited that the root mean square errors （RMSE） between the observed and simulated RGB values were among 8 to 13, the relative RMSE （RRMSE） were among 8 to 10%, the mean absolute differences （da） were among 3.85 to 6.90, and the ratio of da to the mean observation values （Clap） were among 3.04 to 4.90%. In addition, the leaf color model was used to render the leaf color change over growth progress using the technology of visualization, with a good performance on predicting dynamic changes in rice leaf color. These results would provide a technical support for further developing virtual plant during rice growth and development.

Genetic Analysis and Gene Mapping of Light Brown Spotted Leaf Mutant in Rice

A light brown spotted-leaf mutant of rice was isolated from an ethane methyl sulfonate （EMS）- induced IR64 mutant bank. The mutant, designated as Ibsll （light brown spotted-leaf 1）, displayed light brown spot in the whole growth period from the first leaf to the flag leaf under natural summer field conditions. Agronomic traits including plant height, growth duration, number of filled grains per panicle, seed-setting rate and 1000-grain weight of the mutant were significantly affected. Genetic analysis showed that the mutation was controlled by a single recessive gene, tentatively named Ibsll（t）, which was mapped to the short arm of chromosome 6. By developing simple sequence repeat （SSR） markers, the gene was finally delimited to an interval of 130 kb between markers RM586 and RM588. The Ibsll（t） gene is likely a novel rice spotted-leaf gene since no other similar genes have been identified near the chromosomal region. The genetic data and recombination populations provided will facilitate further fine-mapping and cloning of the gene.

Distribution of Leaf Color and Nitrogen Nutrition Diagnosis in Rice Plant

Greenness and nitrogen content of each leaf on main stem of different japonica and indica rice varieties under different nitrogen levels were investigated. Results showed that the fourth leaf from the top exhibited active changes with the change of plant nitrogen status. When the plant nitrogen content was low, its color and nitrogen content were obviously lower than those of the three top leaves. With the increase of plant nitrogen content, the color and nitrogen content of the fourth leaf increased quickly, and the differences of color and nitrogen content between the fourth leaf and the three top leaves decreased. So, the fourth leaf was an ideal indication of plant nutrition status. In addition, color difference between the fourth and the third leaf from the top was highly related to the plant nitrogen content regardless of the variety and development stage. Therefore, color difference between the fourth and the third leaf could be widely used for diagnosis of plant nutrition. Results also indicated that the minimized color difference between the fourth and the third leaf at the critical effective tillering, the emergence of the second leaf from the top, and the heading was the symbol of high yield. Plant nitrogen content of 27 g kg-1 DW for japonica rice and 25 g kg-1 DW for indica were the critical nitrogen concentrations.

Physiology and Biochemistry Changes of Euphorbia pulcherrima During Leaf Color Transformation

Reasons for the color change of E.pulcherrima were studied with physiological and biochemical paraments such as: chlorophyll,carotenoids,anthocyanin,Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL),pH of cell sap in leaves and soluble sugar content etc.The results showed that during the period of the leaf color transmittion of E.pulcherrima,the contents of plastid pigment,soluble sugar and pH of cells sap in leaves showed a high-low-high dynamic change,while the contents of anthocyanin and PAL activity showed the low-high...

Modeling leaf color dynamics of winter wheat in relation to growth stages and nitrogen rates

The objective of this work was to develop a model for simulating the leaf color dynamics of winter wheat in relation to crop growth stages and leaf positions under different nitrogen(N) rates. RGB(red, green and blue) data of each main stem leaf were collected throughout two crop growing seasons for two winter wheat cultivars under different N rates. A color model for simulating the leaf color dynamics of winter wheat was developed using the collected RGB values. The results indicated that leaf color changes went through three distinct stages, including early development stage(ES), early maturity stage(MS) and early senescence stage(SS), with respective color characteristics of light green, dark green and yellow for the three stages. In the ES stage, the R and G colors gradually decreased from their initial values to steady values, but the B value generally remained unchanged. RGB values remained steady in the MS, but all three gradually increased to steady values in the SS. Different linear functions were used to simulate the dynamics of RGB values in time and space.A cultivar parameter of leaf color matrix(MRGB) and a nitrogen impact factor(FN) were added to the color model to quantify their respective effects. The model was validated with an independent experimental dataset. RMSEs(root mean square errors) between the observed and simulated RGB values ranged between 7.0 and 10.0, and relative RMSEs(RRMSEs)ranged between 7 and 9%. In addition, the model was used to render wheat leaves in three-dimensional space(3 D). The 3 D visualizations of leaves were in good agreement with the observed leaf color dynamics in winter wheat. The developed color model could provide a solid foundation for simulating dynamic crop growth and development in space and time.

Relationships between leaf color changes,pigment levels,enzyme activity,photosynthetic fluorescence characteristics and chloroplast ultrastructure of Liquidambar formosana Hance

Liquidambar formosana Hance is an attractive landscape tree species because its leaves gradually change from green to red,purple or orange in autumn.In this study,the red variety of L.formosana was used to establish a quantitative model of leaf color.Physiological changes in leaf color,pigment levels,enzyme activity,photosynthetic fluorescence characteristics and chloroplast ultrastructure were monitored.The relationship between leaf color and physiological structure indices was quantitatively analyzed to systematically explore the mechanisms behind leaf color.Our data showed that with a decrease in external temperatures,chloroplast numbers and sizes gradually decreased,thylakoid membranes became distorted,and chlorophyll synthesis was blocked and gradually decreased.As a result,chloroplast membranes could not be biosynthesized normally;net photosynthesis,maximum and actual photochemical efficiency,and rate of electron transfer decreased rapidly.Excess light energy caused leaf photoinhibition.With intensification of photoinhibition,leaves protected themselves using two mechanisms.In the first,anthocyanin synthesis was promoted by increasing chalcone isomerase and flavonoid glycosyltransferase activities and soluble sugar content so as to increase anthocyanin to filter light and eliminate reactive oxygen species to reduce photoinhibition.In the second,excessive light energy was consumed in the form of heat energy by increasing the non-photochemical quenching coefficient.These processes tuned the leaves red.

A valine residue deletion in ZmSig2A, a sigma factor, accounts for a revertible leaf-color mutation in maize

A nuclear-encoded sigma(σ) factor is essential for the transcriptional regulation of plant chloroplastencoded genes. Five putative maize r factors have been identified by database searches, but their functions are unknown. We report a maize leaf color mutant etiolated/albino leaf 1(eal1) that was derived from space mutation breeding. The eal1 mutant displays etiolated or albino leaves that then gradually turn to normal green at the seedling stage. The changes in eal1 leaf color are associated with changes in photosynthetic pigment content and chloroplast development. Map-based cloning revealed that a single amino-acid deletion changing Val_(480)-Val_(481)-Val_(482) to Val_(480)-Val_(481), in the C-terminal domain σ_(4) of the putative σ factor ZmSig2A, is responsible for the eal1 mutation. In comparison with the expression level of the wild-type(WT) allele ZmSig2A^(+) in WT plants, much higher expression of the mutant allele ZmSig2A^(⊿V) in eal1 plants was detected before the eal1 plants turned to normal green. ZmSig2A shows the highest similarity to rice OsSig2A and Arabidopsis SIG2. Ectopic expression of ZmSig2A^(+) or ZmSig2A^(⊿V) driven by the cauliflower mosaic virus 35 S promoter rescued the pale green leaf of the sig2 mutant, but ectopic expression of ZmSig2A^(⊿V) driven by the SIG2 promoter did not. We propose that the Val deletion generated a new weak allele of ZmSig2A that cannot completely abolish the ZmSig2A function. Some genes involved in chloroplast development and photosynthesis-associated nuclear genes showed significant expression differences between eal1 and WT plants. We conclude that ZmSig2A encoding a r factor is essential for maize chloroplast development. The eal1 mutant with a weak allele of ZmSig2A represents a valuable genetic resource for investigating the regulation of ZmSig2A-mediated chloroplast development in maize.The eal1 mutation may be useful as a marker for early identification and elimination of false hybrids or transgene transmission in the application of genetic male sterility to commercial hybrid seed production.

Light Intensity Affects the Coloration and Structure of Chimeric Leaves of Ananas comosus var.bracteatus

Ananas comosus var.bracteatus is an important ornamental plant because of its green/white chimeric leaves.The accumulation of anthocyanin makes the leaf turn to red especially in the marginal part.However,the red fades away in summer and winter.Light intensity is one of the most important factors affecting leaf color along the seasons.In order to understand the effects of light intensity on the growth and coloration of the chimeric leaves,Ananas comosus var.bracteatus was grown under full sunlight,50%shade and 75%shade for 75 days to evaluate the concentration of pigments,the color parameters(values L^(*),a^(*),b^(*))and the morpho-anatomical variations of chimeric leaves.The results showed that a high irradiance was beneficial to keep the chimeric leaves red.However,prolonged exposure to high irradiance caused a damage,some of the leaves wrinkled and even burned.Shading instead decreased the concentration of anthocyanin and increased the concentration of chlorophyll,especially in the white marginal part of the leaves.Numerous chloroplasts were observed in the mesophyll cells of the white marginal part of the chimeric leaves under shading for 75 days.The increase in chlorophyll concentration resulted in a better growth of plants.In order to balance the growth and coloration of the leaves,approximately 50%shade is suggested to be the optimum light irradiance condition for Ananas comosus var.bracteatus in summer.

Analysis of variation in temperature-responsive leaf color mutant lines induced from Gamma irradiation in rice(Oryza sativa L.)

Eight lines of temperature-responsive leaf colormutants induced by applying 300 Gy Gamma-ray irradiation to Thermo-sensitive genic malesterile line 2177s,were obtained through con-tinuous selection in seven generations..Theleaves of these lines started to become greenafter the fourth leaf extension,and except

GraS is critical for chloroplast development and affects yield in rice

Leaf color has been considered an important agronomic trait in rice(Oryza sativa L.)for a long time.The changes in leaf color affect the yield of rice.In this study,a green-revertible albino(graS)mutant was isolated from a 60Co-gamma-irradiated mutant pool of indica cultivar Guangzhan 63-4S.The fine mapping indicated that graS mutant was mapped to chromosome 1,and was located in a confined region between markers ab134 and InDel 8 with genetic distances of 0.11 and 0.06 cM,respectively.Based on the annotation results,four open reading frames(ORFs)were predicted in this region.Sequence analysis revealed that LOC_Os01g55974 had a 2-bp nucleotide insertion(AA)in the coding region that led to premature termination at the 324th base.Sequence analysis and expression analysis of related genes indicated that LOC_Os01g55974 is the candidate gene of GraS.We studied the genome and protein sequences of LOC_Os01g55974,and the data showed that GraS contains a deoxycytidine deaminase domain,which was expressed ubiquitously in all tissues.Further investigation indicated that GraS plays an essential role in the regulation of chloroplast biosynthesis,photosynthetic capacity and yield.Moreover,leaf color mutant can be used as an effective marker for the purity of breeding and hybridization.