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Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin ›› 2023, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (32): 56-65.doi: 10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb2022-0912

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Four Ailanthus altissima (Mill) Swingle Varieties: Pigment Composition and Distribution of Leaves at Different Positions

ZHENG Conghui1(), XU Zhenhua1(), WANG Yuzhong1, ZHANG Manman2, DU Kejiu2, LI Xiangjun1, LIU Chunpeng1   

  1. 1 Hebei Technical Innovation Center for Forest Improved Variety, Hebei Academy of Forestry and Grassland Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061
    2 College of Forestry, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei 071001
  • Received:2022-11-08 Revised:2023-01-09 Online:2023-11-15 Published:2023-11-10

Abstract:

To reveal the physiological mechanism of leaf color change at different leaf positions in Ailanthus altissima (Mill) Swingle and provide reference for the breeding and promotion of different Ailanthus varieties, one-year-old clonal seedlings of four varieties of Ailanthus altissima (Mill) Swingle, ‘Zhaoyang’, ‘Qianhong’, ‘Putong’ and ‘Liaohong’, were taken as materials. Leaf pigment content and color parameters were measured separately at five leaf positions with obvious color change, and the leaf epidermis and transverse sections were observed as well. For each variety, the content of total chlorophyll (Chl) and carotenoids (Car) in the leaves showed significant increasing trends as the leaf position decreased (P<0.05), while the content of anthocyanin (Ant) and the pigment ratios (i.e., Car:Chl and Ant:Chl) showed significant decreasing trends (P<0.05), and the ratio of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b (Chla:Chlb) showed an increasing trend. For each leaf position, ‘Putong’ and ‘Qianhong’ had a higher content of Chl and Car, ‘Qianhong’ had the highest content of Ant, ‘Zhaoyang’ and ‘Qianhong’ had higher Ant:Chl, and ‘Zhaoyang’ had the highest Car:Chl and Chla:Chlb. The thickness of mesophyll (LM) and palisade tissue (PT) of each variety increased with the decrease of the leaf position (P<0.05), and LM and PT of ‘Zhaoyang’ and ‘Liaohong’ were relatively high at each leaf position. ‘Zhaoyang’ had the highest value of leaf lightness (L*), leaf chromatic component (b*) and leaf chroma (C*) at each leaf position among the four varieties, and all the maximum values were observed at the leaf position 4. ‘Zhaoyang’ and ‘Qianhong’ had high leaf chromatic component (a*) at each leaf position, and the highest value was found at the leaf position 1. The color of leaf glandular hair and the color of leaf transverse section varied with the variety and leaf position. The palisade tissue of the upper leaves of ‘Zhaoyang’ and ‘Liaohong’ had a double layer of cells, while the lower leaves of ‘Zhaoyang’ and ‘Liaohong’ and the leaves at all positions of ‘Qianhong’ and ‘Putong’ had the palisade tissue with monolayer cellular structure. The pigment type and distribution were the direct reasons for the leaf color difference of Ailanthus altissima (Mill) Swingle. The high anthocyanin content at the upper leaf positions and the low total chlorophyll content at all leaf positions of ‘Zhaoyang’ were the direct reasons for the formation of its colorful leaves. Anthocyanin was the key pigment for the red leaves of ‘Qianhong’ and ‘Liaohong’. Among the four varieties, the brightness, yellowness and chroma of leaves of ‘Zhaoyang’ were remarkable for viewing, and the leaf position 4 and 5 had the best ornamental quality. The redness of ‘Zhaoyang’ and ‘Qianhong’ were highly remarkable, with the leaf position 1 being the optimal.

Key words: Ailanthus altissima (Mill) Swingle, leaf position, pigment content, pigment distribution, anthocyanin