US EPA

763100 

Journal Article 

Oxygen-dependent stomatal opening in Zea mays leaves. Effect of Light and carbon dioxide 

Vavasseur, A; Lasceve, G; Couchat, P 

1988 

1 

Physiologia Plantarum
ISSN: 0031-9317
EISSN: 1399-3054 

73 

4 

547-552 

English 

10.1111/j.1399-3054.1988.tb05439.x 

http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/j.1399-3054.1988.tb05439.x
Exit
 

The oxygen requirement for stomatal opening in maize plants (Zea mays L. hybrid INRA 508) was studied at different CO2 concentrations and light intensities. In the absence of CO2, stomatal opening always required O2, but this requirement decreased with increasing light intensity. In darkness, the lowest O2 partial pressure needed to obtain a weak stomatal movement was about 50 Pa. This value was lowered to ca 10 Pa in light (320 μmol m−2 s−1).

On the other hand. in the absence of O2, CO2enabled stomatal opening to occur in the light, presumably due to the evolved photosynthetic O2. Thus, CO2, which generally reduced stomatal aperture, could induce stomatal movement in anoxia and light. The effect of CO2 on stomatal opening was closely dependent on O2 concentration and light intensity. Stomatal aperture appeared CO2-independent at an O2 partial pressure which was dependent on light intensity and was about 25 Pa at 320 umol m−2 s−1.

The presence of a plasmalemma oxidase, in addition to mitochondrial oxidase, might explain the differences in the O2 requirement at various light intensities. The possible involvement of such a system in relation to the effect of CO2 is discussed.