Phylloptosis

Phylloptosis

With phylloptosis, a word coming from the Greek word phýllon ‘leaf’ and ptôsis ‘fall’, in botany, we mean an early fall of the leaves, generally caused by a very high temperature and interpreted as a defense to reduce excessive transpiration.
The term phylloptosis, in general, is therefore indicated to indicate the early fall of the leaves; this mechanism is a strategy of the plant to reduce transpiration in the presence of excessively hot temperatures.
Although phylloptosis is usually due to too high temperatures or sudden changes, it can be caused by different factors of both climatic and biological nature, the following factors cause phylloptosis:
– nutritional deficiencies;
– relapse through the rains of harmful substances, which create lesions on the leaf, resulting in necrosis and detachment;
– external attacks such as fungi, bacteriosis or attacks by insects and animals.
In pathological cases, phylloptosis can cause, in turn, the reduction of vegetative activity, size and all qualitative aspects, also putting the fruits of plants at risk of burns.