The influence of a reduced gibberellin biosynthesis and nitrogen supply on the morphology and anatomy of leaves and roots of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Abstract

We investigated how the differences in growth and morphology between fast-growing wildtype (Wt) tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants and slow-growing gibberellin (GA) deficient W335 mutants were reflected in cell numbers and cell sizes. We also studied whether the differences between the Wt and the low-GA mutant would persist at a growth-limiting supply of nitrate. Both a low endogenous GA concentration and a low supply of nitrate reduced the number and size of leaf cells, whereas they increased the size and number of root cortex cells. The effects of low N supply on the size and number of leaf and root cells did not depend on endogenous GA concentrations. The mutant's higher allocation to roots seemed to be the result of the strongly reduced growth of the shoot.