Plants elongate their stems when grown at high temperature to facilitate the cooling of their leaves, according to new research from the University of Bristol.
When grown at higher temperatures, plants have an elongated, spindly architecture and develop fewer leaf pores, known as stomata. The researchers suggest that the increased spacing of leaves observed in high temperature-grown plants might promote the diffusion of water vapor from stomata, thereby enhancing the cooling process.
Understanding why plants alter their architecture in response to heat is important as increasing global temperatures pose a threat to future food production.
(Source: sciencedaily.com)
How Plants Chill
- July 2012
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