Effects of boron-deficiency on anatomical structures in the leaf main vein and fruit mesocarp of pummelo [Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck]

Summary

Boron (B)-deficiency is a nutritional problem in the citrus industry worldwide. Under B-deficient conditions, symptoms such as corky split veins, small fruit, low tree vigour, and low fruit yield appear. In this study, we investigated the anatomical responses of mature leaves and the albedo of mature fruit of HB pummelo Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck] to B-deficiency. Under B-deficient conditions, the numbers of parenchyma cells in the vascular bundles of the leaf and fruit mesocarp increased significantly. The ratio of the area of the phloem to the area of the vascular bundle also increased, while the ratio of the area of the xylem to the area of the vascular bundle decreased in both tissues. Moreover, we observed alterations in the xylem elements under B-deficient conditions. The average lengths of xylem vessels were 216.7 µm and 175.4 µm in leaf main veins and in fruit mesocarp, respectively, both significantly lower than the corresponding values in B-sufficient control plants. However, B-deficiency reduced the average diameter of xylem vessels only in leaf main veins. On the other hand, B-deficiency increased the numbers of pitted vessels to 63 and 59 among 100 xylem vessels sampled at random in leaf main veins and in the fruit mesocarp of B-deficient pummelos, respectively, while the corresponding numbers were 43 and 35, respectively, under B-sufficient conditions. B-deficiency also decreased the numbers of scalariform and reticulated vessels. Possible mechanisms for these anatomical modifications under B-deficient conditions are discussed.