Linking Turgor with ABA Biosynthesis: Implications for Stomatal Responses to Vapor Pressure Deficit across Land Plants

Stomatal responses to changes in vapor pressure deficit (VPD) constitute the predominant form of daytime gas-exchange regulation in plants. Stomatal closure in response to increased VPD is driven by the rapid up-regulation of foliar abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis and ABA levels in angiosperms; however, very little is known about the physiological trigger for this increase in ABA biosynthesis at increased VPD. Using a novel method of modifying leaf cell turgor by the application of external pressures, we test whether changes in turgor pressure can trigger increases in foliar ABA levels over 20 min, a period of time most relevant to the stomatal response to VPD. We found in angiosperm species that the biosynthesis of ABA was triggered by reductions in leaf turgor, and in two species tested, that a higher sensitivity of ABA synthesis to leaf turgor corresponded with a higher stomatal sensitivity to VPD. In contrast, representative species from nonflowering plant lineages did not show a rapid turgor-triggered increase in foliar ABA levels, which is consistent with previous studies demonstrating passive stomatal responses to changes in VPD in these lineages. Our method provides a new tool for characterizing the response of stomata to water availability.