Features of the photosynthetic tissue in the sheaths of rice (Oryza sativaL.)

The photosynthesis of rice sheath plays a significant role to furnish rice yield, and it is accounted for 10 to 20% of the final yield. But, limited studies have been done to address this phenomenon and to characterize the features of the photosynthetic tissue in rice sheath. In this paper, a super hybrid rice and a hybrid rice were studied as the experimental materials, and the characteristics of the photosynthetic tissue in rice sheaths were examined by microscopic and super-microscopic observation. The results showed that the photosynthetic tissue of rice sheath was rich in the intact mesophyllous cells full of chloroplasts, grana and thylakoids, which were much the same as those of rice blade. The stomatal density in the outer epidermises of the sheaths was comparable to those in the up- and down-epidermises of the blades. The mesophyllous cells in the sheaths were also rich in chlorophylls, and had the net photosynthetic rate (Pn). Therefore, rice sheath was also full of the intact photosynthetic apparatus similar to those in rice blade, and had capabilities of photosynthesis.