Messung und Dokumentation mikromorphologischer Veränderungen in Pflanzen am Beispiel CCC‐behandelten Sommerweizens mit Hilfe der quantitativen Bildanalyse

Abstract

Abstract Measurement and documentation of micromorphological changes in plant tissue by means of quantitative image analysis as illustrated with CCC treated spring wheat Growth regulators are used in crop production to influence extension growth of plants and stability of tissues. Knowledge about the mode of action and efficiency of these compounds are based on physiological and morphological studies with the respective plant tissues. Technical deficiencies in both fields quite often hinder the appropriate insight into tissue reaction. In the present study a computer assisted quantitative image analysis system was applied to support precise and fast measurement and documentation of micromorphological effects in plant tissue.Spring wheat (cv. Arkas and Sappo) were treated with 0.75 and 1 I ha−1 CCC at EC 30. For morphological studies plants were harvested at EC 61. Tissue microcuts out of the 1st and 2nd internodium of wheat stem were stained with alcoholic safranin solution and measured with the interactive image analysis system “IBAS I” (Zeiss and Kontron).Stem diameter and stem wall thickness did not change after CCC treatment, while thickness of the selerenchyma ring of the stem was increased significantly. After CCC application average length of cells in the respective tissue decreased up to 15 %, length of internodium up to 27 %. Thickness of cell walls were reduced in the stem tissue of CCC‐treated plants and the number of parenchyma cells increased.According to this investigation stem stabilizing effects of CCC treated wheat stem are based on the increased size of the lignified selerenchyma ring and on increased number but smaller cells in the parenchyma tissue. With the image analysis system used all measurements could be performed at high precision and quickly so that each given parameter is based on at least several hundred single data.