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A Flexible Low Cost Hydroponic System for Assessing Plant Responses to Small Molecules in Sterile Conditions

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Subtle variation in shade avoidance responses may have profound consequences for plant competitiveness.

Franca J Bongers^1,2, Ronald Pierik², Niels P R Anten¹

¹Centre for Crop Systems Analysis, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Annals of Botany

|December 28, 2017

Summary

Small variations in plant plasticity, like leaf angle and petiole elongation, significantly impact competitiveness for light. These shade avoidance responses can be fine-tuned by natural selection, influencing plant evolution.

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Area of Science:

Plant Biology
Ecology
Evolutionary Biology

Background:

Phenotypic plasticity aids plant competitiveness for light.
Limited understanding exists on how variations in plastic responses affect competitiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate the role of variation in plastic responses in determining plant competitiveness.
Analyze how shade avoidance responses influence plant-plant interactions and evolution.

Main Methods:

Combined detailed plant experiments with functional-structural plant (FSP) modeling.
Focused on leaf angle (hyponasty) and petiole elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana as case studies for shade avoidance.
Simulated plant phenotype as an emergent property using FSP models to capture dynamic feedback between plant and light environment.

Main Results:

Marginally different hyponasty or petiole elongation responses led to substantial differences in plant competitiveness.
Amplification of growth differences by small phenotypic changes was observed.
Strong competitive responses did not necessarily harm overall community performance.

Conclusions:

Selection pressure likely fine-tuned sensitive shade avoidance responses in plants.
The FSP modeling approach offers a novel tool to study the evolution of plastic responses.
Understanding phenotypic plasticity is crucial for predicting plant competition dynamics.