Document Type

Honors Thesis

Publication Date

Spring 5-2016

Abstract

Plants, being sessile, address environmental changes and resource constraints by means of developmental plasticity. For example, plants maximize photosynthesis driven carbohydrate production by undergoing physiological and structural changes in response to their environmental conditions. This plasticity to light environment has several potential regulatory pathways that may include light intensity and light spectral quality. Hypotheses advanced to associate foliar plasticity to light intensity include sensing products of photosynthesis and regulation by the phytohormone cytokinin. In this study, we examined the interacting roles of the cytokinin 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) and light intensity in the regulation foliar plasticity. Exogenous application of BAP was used on plants grown in both high and low light environments. Digital image analysis and spectrophotometric data showed a downregulation of specific leaf area (cm2 g-1), chlorophyll A, and chlorophyll B by cytokinin activity. Hormone-induced downregulation of these qualities was amplified to varying degrees by light environment, suggesting an interaction between these two factors.

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