Kinematic Growth Analysis of Rice (Oryza sativa) Leaf

Rice leaves have a consistent spatial and temporal organization of cell division and expansion, which leads to typical cell length profiles along the longitudinal axis. The growth of rice leaves is usually studied during a steady-state period when leaf elongation rate is constant and the spatial distribution of cell length is temporally invariable. In this chapter, we define the steady-state period by analyzing the leaf elongation rate of leaf three in rice. During steady growth of leaf three, we determine the meristem size by identifying the epidermal cell files next to the stomatal files which are the distal position of meristem zone with confocal laser scanning microscopy. Meanwhile, we plot the cell length profiles along the longitudinal axis from which we directly determine the length of growing zone and mature cell size. Other cell division and expansion parameters such as cell division rate, cell cycle duration, and stain rate are calculated through indirect kinematic analysis.