Calcium and Strength of Leaves. I. Anatomy and Histochemistry

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Abstract
Microscopic examination of the tearing pattern of cured, fermented tobacco leaves revealed that a normal leaf tears in a straight line through cells, while a tender leaf tears in an irregular pattern between cells. This suggests pectin alteration as a probable cause of tender tobacco. Histological examination indicated that in normal leaves the upper and lower epidermal layers were intact and distinct from the disintegrated parenchyma of the leaf interior. The epiderms of tender leaves were not uniform and were usually not distinct from the interior parenchyma tissue. The cell-wall components (pectin, hemicellulose, non-cellulosic polysaccharides, and cellulose) appeared to be the same for both normal and tender leaves. The striking difference between normal and tender tobacco was in the calcium content. Approximately 10 times more calcium was localized in the normal than in the tender-leaf cell walls and middle lamella.

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