506 Air Temperature, Humidity, Leaf Age, and Solution pH Affect Penetration of Urea Through Citrus Leaf Cuticles

Abstract

We examined the effects of air temperature, relative humidity (RH), leaf age, and solution pH on penetration of urea through isolated cuticles of citrus leaves. Intact cuticles were obtained from adaxial surfaces of different aged grapefruit leaves. A finite dose diffusion system was used to follow movement of 14C-labeled-urea from solution droplets across cuticles throughout a 4-day period. The rate of urea penetration increased as temperature increased from 19 °C to 28 °C, but penetration was not further increased at 38 °C. Increasing RH increased droplet drying time and urea penetration at both 28 °C and 38 °C. Cuticle thickness, weight per area, and the contact angle of urea solution droplets increased as leaves aged. Cuticular permeability to urea decreased as leaf age increased from 3 weeks to 7 weeks, but permeability increased in cuticles from leaves older than 9 weeks. Contact angles decreased with increased urea solution concentration on six 7-week-old leaf surfaces, but solution concentration had no effect on contact angle on cuticles from younger and older leaves. Reducing pH of urea solution from pH 8 to pH 4 accelerated the loss of urea from breakdown, possibly due to hydrolysis.