Composition of epicuticular wax on Prosopis glandulosa leaves

Journal Article · Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Botanical Gazette (Chicago); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/337823· OSTI ID:5914652

Mayeux, Jr, H S; Wilkinson, R E ^[1]

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1. USDA-ARS, Temple, TX (USA) Univ. of Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station, Experiment (USA)

Epicuticular wax on leaves of field-grown honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa Torr.) trees consisted of 35% esters, 32% alkanes, 25% free fatty alcohols, and 7% free fatty acids. Aldehydes were present in very low concentrations. The number of carbon atoms (C{sub n}) of alkanes ranged from 25 to 31, with a maximum (57%) at 29. Esters consisted of fatty acids with C{sub n} of 16, 18, and 20, with most (70%) at 18 and fatty alcohols with C{sub n} of 24-32. The C{sub n} of free fatty alcohols and free fatty acids also ranged from 24 to 32. Only primary alcohols were present. Immediately after exposure of glasshouse-grown seedlings to {sup 14}CO{sub 2} for 4 h, 60% of the recovered {sup 14}C was incorporated into free fatty acids; the percentage decreased progressively to 18% 8 h after exposure and remained stable thereafter. The proportion of {sup 14}C in free fatty alcohols increased from ca. 12% immediately after exposure to {sup 14}CO{sub 2} to 55% at 8 h. Little {sup 14}C was associated with other wax components over the 24-h period; 3% or less was incorporated into alkanes.

• OSTI ID: 5914652
• Journal Information: Botanical Gazette (Chicago); (USA), Vol. 151:2; ISSN 0006-8071
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
LEAVES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
ALCOHOLS
ALKANES
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
ESTERS
HERBICIDES
MESQUITE
TRACER TECHNIQUES
WAXES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LEGUMINOSAE
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MAGNOLIOPSIDA
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PESTICIDES
PLANTS
TREES
551001* - Physiological Systems- Tracer Techniques