Patterns of chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics in relation to growth and expansion in cucumber leaves

Photochemical development was studied in developing cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv Hokushin) leaves to determine if the spatial pattern coincided with relative growth rates of expanding leaves, intercalary cell division, or position relative to the vascular tissue. Both leaf surfaces undergo a series of similar changes in chlorophyll a fluorescence kinetics, but the upper surface more quickly achieved the characteristic response. Imaging of fluorescence showed an individual developing leaf has four regions differing in kinetics, but these regions do not coincide with areas of increasing relative growth rate. Two of these regions lie at the leaf edge and their divergent kinetics may be related to structural and physiological features present at this position. A third area with different kinetics, in the basal region of the leaf, is spatially consistent with primordial regions that are clonal during development. The correspondence between areas of clonal growth and specific fluorescence kinetics indicates that cells of common ancestry show functional uniformity. No evidence was found that the proximity of the vascular tissue influenced development of photochemical function.