Shape Observation and Hardness Evaluation of Soybean Leaf Trichomes by LSM and SPM

Introduction

Soybeans are known to have different resistances to the larva of the common cutworm (Spodoptera litura), which is a type of herbivorous vermin, depending on the variety of the soybean plant. As one factor that governs resistance to this insect pest, the microscopic hairs called “trichomes” which grow from the surface of soybean leaves are considered to play a key role. Grasping the distinctive features of trichomes that display strong resistance can provide an indicator for the direction of future selective breeding. Therefore, in this study, the length, angle, and radius of the trichomes of four varieties of soybeans were measured using a confocal laser scanning microscope (LSM), and the hardness (amount of deformation with respect to load) of the trichomes was measured using a scanning probe microscope (SPM).

September 1, 2020 GMT