Figure 3

Size and morphology of leaf trichomes. A) Stalk and branch length of leaf trichomes (mean ± SD): BR1 – first branch; BR2 – second branch; BR3 – third branch; WT – wild type. B) Ratios of mean lengths of trichome branches and stalk (±SD). In WT, xi-1, xi-2, xi-k and xi-1/xi-2 the stalk length constitutes approximately half of the branch length. In xi-1/xi-k and xi-2/xi-k the stalk is abnormally increased and in xi-1/xi-2/xi-k the branches are equal or slightly longer than stalk. Asterisks indicate statistical significance (* p < 0.05 and *** p < 0.001, Kruskal-Wallis with Dunn’s Multiple Comparisons Test, n = 73-109). C) Morphology of leaf trichomes. Numbers and arrows show: (1) trichomes with elongated interbranch zone, (2) unproportionally elongated individual branches, (3) unproportionally elongated stalks, (4) sword-shaped trichomes. Note also that modest bending of trichomes is visible in the case of all mutants. The number of trichomes with irregular shape was quantified by counting the presence of at least one of the phenotypes. Bar = 300 μm.