Plant senescence

Plant senescence is the process of aging in plants. Plants have both stress-induced and age-related developmental aging.[1] Chlorophyll degradation during leaf senescence reveals the carotenoids, such as anthocyanin and xanthophylls, which are the cause of autumn leaf color in deciduous trees. Leaf senescence has the important function of recycling nutrients, mostly nitrogen, to growing and storage organs of the plant. Unlike animals, plants continually form new organs and older organs undergo a highly regulated senescence program to maximize nutrient export.

The autumn senescence of Oregon grape leaves is an example of programmed plant senescence.
  1. ^ Schippers, Jos H. M.; Schmidt, Romy; Wagstaff, Carol; Jing, Hai-Chun (2015-10-01). "Living to Die and Dying to Live: The Survival Strategy behind Leaf Senescence". Plant Physiology. 169 (2): 914–930. doi:10.1104/pp.15.00498. ISSN 1532-2548. PMC 4587445. PMID 26276844.