The bulk elastic modulus and the reversible properties of cell walls in developing Quercus leaves

We examined the relationship between the bulk elastic modulus (epsilon) of an individual leaf obtained by the pressure-volume (P-V) technique and the mechanical properties of cell walls in the leaf. The plants used were Quercus glauca and Q. serrata, an evergreen and a deciduous broad-leaved tree species, respectively. We compared epsilon and Young's modulus of leaf specimens determined by the stretch technique at various stages of their leaf development. The results showed that epsilon increased from approximately 5 to 20 MPa during leaf development, although other potential determinants of epsilon such as the apoplastic water content in the leaf and the diameter of a palisade tissue cells remained almost constant. epsilon in these two species was similar at every developmental stages, although the apparent mechanical strength of the leaf lamina and thickness of mesophyll cell walls were greater in Q. glauca. There were significant linear relationships between Young's modulus and epsilon (P < 0.01; R-2 = 0.78 and 0.84 in Q. glauca and Q. serrata, respectively) with small y-intercepts. From these results, we conclude that epsilon is closely related to the reversible properties of the cell walls. From the estimation of epsilon based on a physical model, we suggest that the effective thickness of cell walls responsible for epsilon is smaller than the observed wall thickness.