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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The chemical composition of cuticular waxes and pigments and the morphological features
of cork oak (Quercus suber) leaves were determined for six samples with seeds of di erent geographical
origins covering the natural distribution of the species. The leaves of all samples exhibited a hard
texture and oval shape with a dark green colour on the hairless adaxial surface, while the abaxial
surface was lighter, with numerous stomata and densely covered with trichomes in the form of
stellate multicellular hairs. The results suggest an adaptive role of leaf features among samples of
di erent provenance and the potential role of such variability in dealing with varying temperatures
and rainfall regimes through local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity, as was seen in the trial site,
since no significant di erences in leaf traits among the various specimens were found, for example,
specific leaf area 55.6–67.8 cm2/g, leaf size 4.6–6.8 cm2 and photosynthetic pigment (total chlorophyll,
31.8–40.4 ug/cm2). The leaves showed a substantial cuticular wax layer (154.3–235.1 ug/cm2)
composed predominantly of triterpenes and aliphatic compounds (61–72% and 17–23% of the
identified compounds, respectively) that contributed to forming a nearly impermeable membrane
that helps the plant cope with drought conditions. These characteristics are related to the species
and did not differ among trees of different seed origin. The major identified compound was lupeol,
indicating that cork oak leaves may be considered as a potential source of this bioactive compound
Description
Keywords
cork oak chlorophyll terpenes lupeol cuticular permeance
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Plants 2020, 9, 1165
Publisher
MDPI