The effect of the environment on the permeability and composition of Citrus leaf cuticles : I. Water permeability of isolated cuticular membranes.

The water permeabilities of 3174 astomatous, isolated cuticular membranes from Citrus aurantium L. leaves were studied. Trees were grown in environmental chambers at temperatures ranging from 15 to 35° C and humidities of 50% and 90%. Photosynthetically active radiation was 500-1000 μmol photons·m(-2)· s(-1). The different growing conditions had no effect on the water permeability of the membranes. However, storing isolated cuticular membranes at 8° C for up to 112 weeks decreased their water permeability, and it is argued that this is a consequence of the healing of defects between wax crystallites, and also indicates the dynamic nature of cuticular waxes.