This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Graham, R. D. Articles by Ulrich, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Graham, R. D. Articles by Ulrich, A. Agricola Articles by Graham, R. D. Articles by Ulrich, A.

Articles

Potassium Deficiency-induced Changes in Stomatal Behavior, Leaf Water Potentials, and Root System Permeability in Beta vulgaris L. ¹

^a Department of Soils and Plant Nutrition, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720

Studies of the water relations of potassium deficient sugarbeet plants (Beta vulgaris L.) revealed two factors for stomatal closure. One component of stomatal closure was reversible by floating leaf discs on distilled water to relieve the water deficit in the leaves; the other component was reversible in the light by floating the leaf discs on KCl solution for 1 hour or more. Potassium-activated stomatal opening in the light was observed when the guard cells were surrounded by their normal environment of epidermal and mesophyll cells, just as observed by previous workers for epidermal strips. Leaf water potentials, like stomatal apertures, appear to be strongly related to leaf potassium concentration. Potassium-deficient plants have a greatly decreased root permeability to water, and the implications of this effect on stomatal aperture and leaf water potential are discussed. In contrast, petiole permeability to water is unaffected by potassium treatment.

¹ This investigation was supported in part by a grant from the American Potash Institute.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. JAVOT and C. MAUREL The Role of Aquaporins in Root Water Uptake Ann. Bot., September 1, 2002; 90(3): 301 - 313. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. T. Pettigrew Potassium Deficiency Increases Specific Leaf Weights and Leaf Glucose Levels in Field-Grown Cotton Agron. J., November 1, 1999; 91(6): 962 - 968. [Abstract] [Full Text]