Interorgan correlations and phytochrome: changes in plastid ultrastructure during de-etiolation processes
De Greef, J.A.; Verbelen, J.P.
Archives Internationales de Physiologie et de Biochimie 80(5): 962-963
1972
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-9799 PMID: 4127083 Document Number: 56728
When primary leaves of intact etiolated bean seedlings were selectively illuminated by continuous white light the etioplasts were transformed into chloroplasts but their growth was inhibited and their photosynthetic lamellae were quantitatively reduced compared with in fully illuminated plants, and even after a few weeks they had changed neither in size nor in structure. When the embryonic axis was given 5 min red light/day while the leaves were given continuous white light, leaf expansion occurred and plastid development took place to the same extent as in fully illuminated plants. Subsequent far-red light exposure of the embryonic axis annihilated the effect of red light. Selective treatment of the embryonic axis with far-red light subsequent to exposure of the entire plants to red light also prevented leaf expansion. Treatment of the embryonic axis with red light while the leaves were shielded had no effect on leaf growth.