Research progress on the relationship between leaf senescence and quality, yield and stress resistance in horticultural plants

Abstract

Leaf senescence, the final stage of leaf development, is one of the adaptive mechanisms formed by plants over a long period of evolution. Leaf senescence is accompanied by various changes in cell structure, physiological metabolism, and gene expressions. This process is controlled by a variety of internal and external factors. Meanwhile, the genes and plant hormones involved in leaf aging affect the quality, yield and stress resistance in horticultural plants. Leaf senescence mediated by plant hormones affected plant quality at both pre-harvest and post-harvest stages. Exogenous plant growth regulators or plant hormone inhibitors has been applied to delay leaf senescence. Modification of related gene expression by over-expression or antisense inhibition could delay or accelerate leaf senescence, and thus influence quality. Environmental factors such as light, temperature and water status also trigger or delay leaf senescence. Delaying leaf senescence could increase chloroplast lifespan and photosynthesis and thus improve source strength, leading to enhanced yield. Accelerating leaf senescence promotes nutrient redistribution from old leaves into young leaves, and may raise yield under certain circumstances. Many genes and transcriptional factors involved in leaf senescence are associated with responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. WRKY transcriptional factors play a vital role in this process and they could interact with JA signalling. This review summarized how genes, plant hormones and environmental factors affect the quality, yield. Besides, the regulation of leaf senescence holds great promise to improving the resistance to plant biotic and abiotic stresses.

High light can alleviate chilling stress in maize

“…The reduced induction of senescence related genes upon the addition of high light could also be a significant mechanism behind the mitigating effect of high light during chilling. Delayed leaf senescence and aging allows for enhanced photosynthesis and decreased ROS and has been linked with improved abiotic stress resistance (reviewed by Zhao, Zhao and Wang, 2022). The significant increase in the expression of genes associated with gene expression was somewhat unexpected and counterintuitive.…”

“…Delayed leaf senescence and aging allows for enhanced photosynthesis and decreased ROS and has been linked with improved abiotic stress resistance (reviewed by Zhao, Zhao and Wang, 2022). The significant increase in the expression of genes associated with gene expression was somewhat unexpected and counterintuitive.…”

Drought responses and carbon allocation strategies of poplar with different leaf maturity

“…As leaves grow and chloroplasts develop, the increase in chlorophyll content leads to an increase in photosynthetic capacity. However, during leaf senescence, the decrease in chlorophyll turnover rate and the disintegration of internal chloroplast structures lead to a decrease in photosynthetic capacity (Zhao et al, 2022). This is the reason why the photosynthetic physiology of young leaves is superior to that of aged leaves under three irrigation regimes.…”

Climate change increases net CO2assimilation in the leaves of strawberry, but not yield

“…Leaf senescence is the final stage of leaf development when the leaves turn from green to yellow (Zhao et al, 2022). These changes are accompanied by a decrease in the contents of chlorophyll and proteins and a decrease in photosynthesis (Song et al, 2014).…”