Candidate Biol. Sci. Slepchenko N.A.,

Candidate Biol. Sci. Malyarovskaya V.I.

The State Research Institution All–Russian Scientific and Research Institute of Floriculture and Subtropical Crops of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, c. Sochi, Russia, e-mail: lab-bfbr@vniisubtrop.ru

VARIATIONS IN ANATOMICAL INDICATORS OF GALANTHUS WORONOWII LOSINSK DEPENDING ON ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Abstract. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of abiotic factors (in the first place - light) on the anatomical structure of Galanthus woronowii leaf blades. It is istablished that G. woronowii plants react to changes in light regime conditions. Thus, in shading, typical changes occur in the epidermis, characterized by decreasing the number and length of stomata per 1 mm² in both the upper and the lower epidermis. In contrast, plants that grow in lighting conditions in open sunny areas, had an increasing number and size of stomata (mostly in length). Thus, G. woronowii plants can be used in landscaping of both shaded and open sunny areas.

Key words: Galanthus woronowii Losinsk, endemic species, guard cells of stomata, lighting, environmental conditions.

Introduction

Variation in anatomical structure of plants vegetative organs, depending on the environment is widely known and described by many researchers [1, 2, 3]. At the same time, some authors established strong dependence of the change in leaves anatomical features on environmental factors [4, 5]. Adaptability of plants to various environmental factors may be reflected by leaf mesostructure, therefore, information on its structure will complement the environmental characteristics of the species. That is why, the study of plants life, depending on abiotic conditions, as well as their response to changes in these conditions is, of course, the scientific and practical interest.

In this regard, the aim of our study was to investigate the influence of abiotic factors (in the first place - light) on the anatomical structure of Galanthus woronowii leaf blades.

Voronov's snowdrop plants (Galanthus woronowii Losinsk) served as a research object. This species is included in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES, Appendix II).

This species belongs to the category of rarity "Vulnerable". It is a rare sporadically distributed Colchic-lazistansky endemic species with decreasing population. It is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the early-spring bulbous ephemeroids. Flowering period is January-March. Factors limiting the spread of G. woronowii are an intense gathering for bouquets, development of Sochi foothill zone, bulbs digging for introduction, preparation as a medicinal plant [6].

Research Methods.

Laboratory studies were carried out on the basis of the Laboratory of Biotechnology, Physiology and Biochemistry of Plants in the State Research Institution All–Russian Scientific and Research Institute of Floriculture and Subtropical Crops of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (c. Sochi).

Plant leaves of different ecotypes were studied in the experiment: growing in a well-lit area and under the shading. Coeval model plants (5-7 plants from different habitats) were chosen. Preparation of time preparations was carried out by standard methods [7]. Preparations were viewed under the light microscope Axio Imager M₂ (Carl Zeiss Jena, Germany) with the software at different magnification lens. The study determined the number and size of stomata, with an increase of 10 x 10; 10 x 20; 10 x 40. In each option, five samples were measured in 25 fields of view.

Results and Discussion

The observations showed that the leaves in this species are dense, leathery, with a well-developed cuticle. The venation is arcuate; the midrib forms a well-defined keel.

Leaves are amphistomatic (stomatal apparatus is available on both sides of leaf), the stomata are oval and have an elongated-oval shape. Galanthus woronowii leaf epidermis consists of elongated cells of a rectangular shape, among which there are stomatal apparatuses. The study found that different environmental conditions affect the change in the number, length and width of stomata.

So, in Galanthus woronowii number of stomata in 1 mm² leaf area was significantly higher on the abaxial (lower) epidermis (in 5-7 times) than on the adaxial (upper) (Fig. 1.).

a	c
b	d
Fig.1. Change in the number and size of Galanthus woronowii stomata depending on growing conditions: a;b). adaxial and abaxial leaf sides (in lighting); c;d). adaxial and abaxial leaf sides (in shading). (Enlargement 10x10).

Also it is revealed that the lighting conditions in test sites significantly affected the studied indicator, while, the number of stomata on the top and underside of leaves was more in the plants growing in the lighted areas: 15,33 ± 0,58 and 77,33 ± 1,15 , respectively, than that in the plants growing in the shade (Table 1). The same results were obtained for other biometric indicators (length of stomata). The plants from the lighted parts had a length of the stomata with both adaxial and abaxial side which was more in 13,93 micrometers and 19,11 micrometers, respectively; the differences in this indicator were significant (НСR₀₅ – 2,72 and 3,05). As for the width of the stomata, significant differences between the options were not observed.

Table 1: Changes in the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the guard cells of stomata of Galanthus woronowii depending on growing conditions

The surface of epidermis	Growing conditions	The number of stomata, pcs.	Length, micrometers	Width, micrometers
Adaxial side	Lighted area	15,33±0,58	54,15±1,49	38,60±2,03
	Area in shade	9,33±0,58	40,22±0,82	38,74±3,06
	НСР05	1,31	2,72	5,89
Abaxial side	Lighted area	77,33±1,15	49,00±1,50	30,24±1,06
	Area in shade	68,00±1,00	29,89±1,22	32,21±1,93
	НСР05	2,45	3,05	2,56

We have found out that depending on the light level in an area on which G. woronowii plants grow, the shape of stomatal apparatus was also changing. In light conditions the stomatal apparatus had an elongated in length - oblong-oval shape, and in shaded conditions - oval-round. Changes in the shape of G. woronowii stomatal apparatus, according to the different growth conditions may indicate a sufficiently high ecological flexibility of this species.

Conclusion.

It is shown that G. woronowii plants react to changes in light regime conditions. Thus, in shading, typical changes occur in the epidermis, characterized by decreasing the number and length of stomata per 1 mm² in both the upper and the lower epidermis. In contrast, plants that grow in lighting conditions in open sunny areas, had an increasing number and size of stomata (mostly in length). Thus, G. woronowii plants can be used in landscaping of both shaded and open sunny areas.

REFERENCES

1. Kutas, Ye.N. Effect of light regime on plants anatomical structure / Ye.N. Kutas // Bull. Main. Bot. Gard. - 1991 - Iss. 161 - P. 67-71.

2. Samelik Ye.G. Changing of the length of hydrangea guard cells / Ye.G. Samelik, L.V. Tsatsenko, V.I. Malyarovskaya // Scientific support of agro-industrial complex. Materials from the third All-Russian scientific-practical conference of young scientists. - Krasnodar, 2009 - P. 692-693.

3. Malyarovskaya V.I. Variability of morphological and anatomical indicators of H. macrophylla leaves, depending on the habitat/ V.I. Malyarovskaya / Subtropical and ornamental horticulture. The State Research Institution All–Russian Scientific and Research Institute of Floriculture and Subtropical Crops of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Sochi, 2011. Iss. 45 - P. 225-229.

4. Goryshina T.K., Antonova I.S. Samoilov Yu.I. Workshop on plant ecology. SPb.: publ. off. of SPb University, 1992. 140 p.4.

5. Djachenko A.P. Comparative analysis of structural and functional features of the photosynthetic apparatus in different ecological groups of higher plants // Mesostructure and functional activity of photosynthetic apparatus. Sverdlovsk, 1978. P. 93-102.

6. Red Data Book of Krasnodar region. (Plants and Fungi) / resp.ed.. S.A. Litvinskaya. - 2nd ed. - Krasnodar: LLC "Design Bureau №1", 2007. – 640 p.

7. Pausheva Z.P. Workshop on plants cytology. 4th ed., Rev. and ext. - M .: Agropromizdat, 1988 - 271 p.