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LEAF UV OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF 'RUMEX PATIENTIA' L. AND 'RUMEX OBTUSIFOLIUS L. IN REGARD TO A PROTECTIVE MECHANISM AGAINST SOLAR UV-B RADIATION INJURY
Citation:
Robberecht, R. AND M. Caldwell. LEAF UV OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF 'RUMEX PATIENTIA' L. AND 'RUMEX OBTUSIFOLIUS L. IN REGARD TO A PROTECTIVE MECHANISM AGAINST SOLAR UV-B RADIATION INJURY. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/D-87/008.
Description:
Effective UV attenuation in the outer leaf layers may represent an important protective mechanism against potentially damaging solar UV-B radiation. Epidermal optical properties for Rumex patientia and Rumex obtusifolius were examined on field collected and greenhouse grown plants. Rumex patientia, a relatively UV-B sensitive plant, has substantially higher epidermal UV transmittance than Rumex obtusifolius, which indicated that the UV-B flux at the mesophyll layer for Rumex obtusifolius by 27% after exposure to solar UV-B radiation. Flavonoid extract absorbance also increased in whole leaves of both species after solar UV-B radiation. The epidermis is not only an effective filter for UV-B radiation, but is wavelength selective, and shows a degree of plasticity in this attenuation.