The Effect of Simulated Seawater on Water Permeability of Isolated Leaf Cuticular Layers

Leaf cuticular layer of five plant species; Vinca major L., Prunus laurocerasuu L., Nerium oleander L., Hedera helix L. and Ficus benjamina L. were enzymaticaly isolated and their water permeabilities were determined. The cuticles were treated with different amounts of this artificial seawater and its effect on cuticular permeability was calculated. The results showed that the effect increased by increasing seawater concentration on cuticle surface. The water permeability varied among the species, and the response of the species was related to their degree of tolerance and lateral heterogeneity of cuticles. Water permeation of F. benjamina and N. oleander increased. Even though they had low initial water permeation, the effect of seawater on this property of species reached a factor of 2.59 and 3.21, respectively at the highest concentrations of artificial seawater. Washing off the isolated cuticles from seawater residuals indicated that water permeability and seawater effect could be lowered if plants were exposed to rainfall or debries of seawater salts on leaf surface washed from time to time with overhead irrigation. © 2010 Friends Science Publishers